


Soul Eater: Madness Reawakening

by Sana109



Series: Soul Eater: Insanity’s Finest [1]
Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Body Horror, Canon - Anime, Canon-Typical Violence, Chaos, Character Death, Comedy, F/F, F/M, Feels, Flashbacks, Gen, Gore, Graphic Description of Corpses, Hybrids, Immortality, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Magic, Moral Ambiguity, More tags to be added, Multi, Murder, Music, Nightmares, Other, Past Relationship(s), Possession, Post-Canon, Reality Bending, Revenge, Rewrite, Romance, Shapeshifting, Spirit Animals, Spoilers, Surprise Romance, Surprise Siblings, Taboo, Untagged Relationship(s), Violence, Vomiting, Witches, Wolves, insane, soul bonds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2019-03-21
Packaged: 2019-08-29 18:33:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 22,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16749430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sana109/pseuds/Sana109
Summary: It’s been nearly a year since the fall of the Kishin Asura. Things seem to have returned to the way they were. However, old foes are on the rise and ready for battle. Just who is this girl with a blind eye? Will she be an ally or their greatest opponent yet?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I am rewriting everything.

It was dark and cold in the quiet city. A boy and a girl stood side by side under a dim street lamp. The boy had white spiky hair and dark crimson eyes and wore a large golden jacket while the girl had her pale blonde hair tied in twin pig-tails, complimenting her bright green eyes, her small form covered by a long black trench coat. Neither spoke, only listened to the night around them.

A shriek sounded through the night, causing the moon above to begin its sadistic cackling as blood seeped from its twisted grin. The two looked at each other and nodded. The boy began to glow as the girl grasped his hand. A bright flash of blue light lit up the surrounding area. After it faded, the girl stood there, gripping a red and black scythe in her gloved hands. Another shriek shot through the night.

" _You hear that, Maka?_ " the scythe asked. The girl nodded, tightening her grip on the staff.

"Yeah," she answered.

"It's a Kishin."


	2. Encounter — The Girl With a Blind Eye and a Mad Soul?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a simple mission.

Maka ran through the streets, looking down every side street to see if she could glimpse the new possible Kishin, holding her weapon tightly in her hand. For some reason, a thick aura of madness bled throughout the city, making it impossible to pinpoint its origin.

" _Maka! Over there!_ " her weapon partner called to her, spotting a dim glow of blue and red. She halted and looked towards it. There, in the middle of the street surrounded in blood, sat a girl, a grotesque red Kishin egg, and a bright blue, human soul. The girl didn’t look to be much older than they were, youthful in appearance with auburn hair and loose fitting clothes. She sat crouched there, next to the souls, just staring at the glowing orbs of light and life. Maka blinked. Could this girl be the Kishin they were looking for? In her moment of hesitation, the girl's head slowly turned towards them, a wide Cheshire smile appearing on her face. Her eyes met Maka's and a shiver ran through the blonde's body. Those eyes weren't human, madness dancing wildly in pools of blue. Maka's grip tightened on her scythe and she readied herself for a fight.

The auburn-haired girl – woman? – slowly stood from her crouched position next to the soul, her back facing the duo as a soft but dark chuckle bubbling from her lips. Her body then seemed to fold over backwards slightly to stare at them. She giggled again before opening her mouth.

 

"Oh goody," she said in a sinister voice. "Looks like the rest of the guests have arrived. Have you come to play, too?"

 

They held each other's gazes for what felt like an eternity, the woman continuing to smile the entire time. She slowly took a step towards them, tilting her head and letting her arms hang limply. The scythe meister pointed her weapon at her, firmly standing her ground. The girl's smile melted into a calm line. The howling of a wolf sounded nearby. The stranger straightened herself as a massive, wolf-like humanoid landed heavily behind her, the ground trembling upon impact. The woman gave a nod to the wolfish creature before turning her attention back to the pair of students. The wolf thing turned gently picked grasped the two disembodied souls, placing them in a bag before launching itself back to the roof tops.

"So," the woman started in a calm voice, "it would seem that I've finally warranted enough trouble to gain the attention of Lord Death, hmmm?"

 

"Who are you and what are you doing with those souls?" Maka asked confidently. It was clear that whatever this girl was, she was not mindless as Kishin Eggs were. Perhaps she would listen to reason. The girl giggled and made her way over to one of the lamp posts, disappearing as she walked behind it. Maka blinked in confusion. _I guess **what** are you would have been a more appropriate question._

"My name?" The girl's voice came from behind the pair. Maka spun around and jumped back, surprised by the sudden appearance. "I guess after all these years he wouldn't think to keep any sort of an documents pertaining to us. Shame."

"What are you," Maka demanded. The woman smirked.

"That isn't important right now, brave girl," she denied response. "What is important is what are a couple of children doing out here in the middle of the night? It's dangerous," she teased. "You never know what sort of monster might be lurking in the shadows."

Maka made her move. She lunged forward, bringing Soul’s blade down at the woman. The latter simply jumped back, as if she had expected it. Maka swung again, and again she missed. She let out a battle cry before swinging again, but to both their shock, the girl grabbed onto Soul's staff and used the momentum of the attack to get closer to them. She smiled sickeningly sweetly at Maka before delivering a swift open-palm punch to her torso, thrusting her back into a nearby building. For such a weak looking thing, she sure could pack a punch. 

"Oh, come _on_ ," the girl taunted. "You're hardly even a challenge." Maka stood up, panting, determination flooding into her green eyes. The girl smirked. "That's more like it."

Maka lunged again, barely nicking her opponet’s shoulder. Flipping backwards, the strange woman began to scale the wall of the building. Once on the roof, she looked back down at the two students.

"The Reaper will know the answers you seek," she called down to them before vanishing into the night.


	3. Library Time — An 800 year old threat returns?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to find some answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Image described in the chapter can be found here: https://www.deviantart.com/shadowxscarlet109/art/Humanoid-Creatures-Halflings-655911874

It had been nearly a week since the encounter with the strange woman with fiery hair and still Maka had yet to find out anything about her. When she had questioned Death about her, he merely avoided answering as usual. She had spoken to his son, Kid, as well, but he knew nothing of such a person. So Maka did what anyone of her standard would do: she went to the school's library. After hours upon hours, she was about ready to give up and call it quits. That is, before Kid came over to her with a large book in his pale hands. It looked very old, but hardly worn. In fact, it looked like it had never once been opened. Maka raised a brow.

"I just had a word with my father and managed to get him to say which book we needed," he spoke confidently. He placed the book on the table, allowing Maka to see its title:

 

_ **Creatures Beyond Compare: A Guide to Uncommon and Peculiar Beasts** _

She gave him a confused look. Even if the person she fought hadn’t been entirely human, at the very least it seemed unlikely to call her a beast.

“Father said there’s quite a lot of older creatures in here, but from the description you gave me, he seemed adamant about this particular book,” Kid explained as he flipped it open, scanning over the pages quickly to see if he might be able to find who or what they were searching for. He almost passed it when Maka's hand shot out and stopped him from moving further. They stared at the pages and the beings it described, the picture being the most shocking to her. On the page were two feminine figures posed, one of them baring a striking resemblance to the woman from that night. It was as if they were the same person. She checked for a date of when the illustration was made and furrowed her brow; almost 800 years ago? That couldn’t be right. No one lived that long except Reapers. She looked up at the top of the page and began to read. 

_ ** Halflings ** _

_Born to the union of a weapon or meister with witch, Halflings are notorious for causing mayhem and bursts of insanity in those they encounter. Strength and appearance vary depending on the parents, but they typically take after their mother’s appearance and abilities, being capable of magic typically at a young age. Many previous documented instance of Halflings indicates that they typically do not survive very long, whether that be due to natural or unnatural causes is unknown. The two pictured in the illustration were the only two to have been noted to survive beyond a decade. Though the elder died at some point (reports confirmed by Lord Death and Asura), the whereabouts of the younger are unknown as of this entry. She presumably perished not long after the establishment of Death City, though this is unconfirmed. What little is known about her was mostly told from the now Kishin Asura, making many of the claims unsubstantiated. From what is known, this Halfling, Sara, along with her sibling, were born to a meister and Lunaria the Witch of Wolves. Her strength and abilities are mostly unknown as of this writing, though like many magic users, she appears to be capable of hiding the true nature of her soul._

The rest of the page goes on to describe other known halflings that had existed at the time, though many had been noted as deceased. Maka focused back on the drawing, feeling uneasy as it stared back at her. Her eyes drifted to their strangely clawed hands. Each finger ended at a point rather than a rounded nail. It almost appeared as if the finger fused with the nail to end in sharp points. Maka closed her eyes and sat down, reviewing all the information she was absorbed, sorting it into categories. Kid sat down next to her, his brow furrowing as he, too, reflected on this new found information. Maka let out a heavy sigh. 

"Well, at least we know what she is now," he commented. "And we know her name, if the creature you encountered was indeed her." 

"But that doesn't help explain how she's still alive after 800 year, Kid," she retorted, "and how she managed to stay hidden for so long with the amount of madness she carried." 

Kid nodded in contemplation. "Perhaps it has something to do with the witch blood inside her? I mean, witches can keep themselves alive much longer simply through their magic and will power. So there's that theory." 

"But what about the madness she gave off?" Maka questioned. "How does that fit in with any of this?” 

Kid thought for a moment before responding. "Witches are hunted by meisters and weapons, so maybe perhaps in the coming together of their blood as one ― " 

" ― it created madness from the union itself!" she exclaimed, standing at the sudden epiphany. "That explains why I wasn't able to see her soul clearly! Her blood creates chaos to hide her!" 

Maka sped out of the library, Kid following suit, and ran all the way to the home she shared with Soul and their magical cat friend, Blair. Grabbing some supplies from her desk, she and Kid began writing everything they could about this new revelation. 

That is, until Blair decided to rest her bosom on the table. 

_ _ **~Elsewhere~** _ _

Far off in the distance, the Halfling sat with her wolf. She stared out over the sea of blue and red souls before her, a smile slowly creeping upon her face. 

"We are nearly there, my love," she whispered, her fingers wrapping around a red jewel hanging from her neck. "Soon we will shape the world to match our image." She paused. "But first we must prepare this world for its judgement." 

Her wolf knelt by her side, bowing his head. 

**"And all the world shall bow before us.”**


	4. Midnight Terrors — Will the Madness Consume My Soul?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Restless are the beasts that hunger.

Maka trembled as she slept, her restful slumber and dreams turned horrid nightmares that grew more vivid with each passing night. This time she was surrounded in darkness, three red eyes – _his eyes_ – being all that was visible, her ears ringing with manic laughter. That evil, insane laugh that sent chills up and down her spine and made her blood run cold. The constant feeling of drowning in madness was growing to an unbearable level. She wished she would wake up.

_**Why do you insist on fighting it?**_ his voice spoke smoothly. **_Wouldn't it be easier to just give in?_**

_I'll never give in to you!_ she rebuttals. _You’re nothing but a memory now! You hold no power over me!_

"Are you so sure about that?" he says, materializing from the darkness before her. Maka's eyes widened in terror and panic as she tries in vain to escape. She opens her mouth to scream, but the only sound to escape her throat is a whimper. At this, he chuckles. "Oh yes, little Maka. I can feel your fear, your confusion. It's just the same as before."

She gritted her teeth as he stepped closer. His fingers ever so slightly brushed against her arm and she tensed, trembling in fear. He chuckled and got closer to her ear.

"I wish I could stay and play with you a little longer, but I'm needed elsewhere," he whispered. "We will meet again, my brave meister."

**_Now it's time for you to wake up._ **

 

 

Maka awoke to Soul shaking her gently and Blair sitting next to her, both having worried looks upon their faces. For a moment, all she could hear was the sound of her own thundering heart and her ragged breaths. Her hair and clothes were plastered to her body by her sweat.

"Hey," Soul spoke first, "you okay?"

"Y-yeah," Maka replied after a few seconds. "J-just another nightmare…"

"It must 'a been pretty scary," Blair popped in. "You were screamin' like someone was tryin' to kill you or somethin'."

Soul looked at Blair, obviously telling her leave the two of them alone for a moment. She complied, hopping off the bed and scampering out the window. He turned back to his meister. 

"Do you, uh, wanna talk about it or something?" he asked with uncertainty. Maka let out a heavy sigh. 

"I just keep getting this feeling that he isn't really gone," she spoke softly. "I mean, we never did find his soul after the fight. He could still be out there somewhere!"

"Calm down, Maka," Soul said gently, patting her shoulder. "You and I both know that even if he is still out there, he won't stay hidden for long."

"I know, I know," she sighed, "but I keep finding myself drifting back to that book I showed you, about that girl we saw; about how he was the one to confirm the other one to be dead; about how her blood generates madness as a form of camouflage. I just can't help but feel that there's a connection between them. And the fact that these nightmares didn't start until after we found the book. It's like some sort of puzzle and she's just feeding us the pieces. Either that or I'm going insane."

"You're not going insane," Soul said, gently knocking her on the head. "I'm sure whatever it is, you'll be able to figure it out." He gave have a toothy grin, causing her to smile back. "I can stay in here with you tonight if it makes you feel better."

"Y-yeah…" she stuttered, a light blush dusting her pale face. "That'd be nice…"


	5. Questions — Crona knows the insane half witch?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More is learned from an unlikely source.

The next day at the academy, Maka decided she would tell everyone in her group about the things that had happened over the past few weeks. At lunch, she managed to get everyone to the basketball court. Even Crona came along. Maka took a deep breath.

"Alright," she began, "there's something I've been meaning to share with you guys." All eyes turned to her. Slowly, Maka withdrew the book she and Kid had discovered and set it down. "A few weeks ago on a mission, Soul and I found something." She turned to the page about Halflings, showing it to everyone before pointing to the picture. "This is what we found."

She looked at each person's face to see how they would react. Soul and Kid already knew about it, so their faces were relatively calm. Liz and Tsubaki looked a little questioning towards the book, probably for different reasons though. Patty was hollering some nonsense about how they looked like cat people since the older “looked like she had a tail” or something along those lines. Black★Star just boasted about how they didn't look that tough and he could take them since he had surpassed the Gods.

Finally, she glanced at Crona. His face seemed paler than it normally was and he had begun to tremble, looking quite nervous. Flickers of recognition flashed through his eyes before vanishing as quickly as they came. Ragnarok had even paused in his antics to peek at the picture of the sisters. 

Crona quickly looked away when he noticed her gaze on him. She would have to talk with him away from the group. 

Not long after, the group began to disperse, leaving Maka and Soul alone with Crona and Ragnarok. The blonde turned to face the nervous lilac haired boy who seemed to become more so. She gave him a smile, which he returned with a smaller one. Ragnarok seemed to glower at the attention he wasn't getting.

"H-hi, Maka," Crona stammered meekly. This received a hit on the head from the demon sword.

"Enough with the greetings and whatnot!" he screeched in his comically high pitched voice. "What do you want, nag? This sure ain't a coincidence!"

"Ragnarok..." the timid boy scolded his weapon weakly, earning a tug of his hair from the black thing, causing the boy to cry out, "Ow! Don't pull my hair! That hurts! I don't like it when you do that!"

"Ragnarok," Maka began sternly, starting to raise the book she had in hand. The demon sword paused and decided that momentary glee wasn't worth getting Maka-chopped. The blonde lowered the book and glanced between the weapon and meister. "Crona?" she spoke softer to the boy. He merely looks at her shyly. Deciding that was good enough for now, the scythe-meister focused back to the purpose of the talk. "Crona, Ragnarok, I couldn't help but notice something when we looked at the picture earlier." Crona gulped while his weapon seemed to glare. "Do you... know that girl?"

"Well, it's not like sh-!" Ragnarok began, scoffing but was quickly silenced by a harsh glare from the meisters. He effectively shut himself up and retreated back into his body's body.

"W-w-well, you see..." Crona began, fiddling with his wrist cuffs, "sh-she looks a lot l-like someone I-I knew b-back when..." He paused and closed his eyes tightly, trying not to remember the long lonesome days and nights he spent as a child.

"When you were with Medusa..." Maka finished for him. He nodded.

"Th-that person t-took care of me a-and was r-really kind..." Crona's dark eyes glazed over at recalling the few childhood memories he enjoyed, as soft weak smile upon his lips. "Sh-she took care of me... and Ragnarok... a-and even stood up against Medusa for us..." A silent tear slipped down his pale cheek as his smile turned sour. He quickly got rid of it before continuing. "B-but things got really bad one time and I was locked in the dark room while they fought... I-I-I..." More tears escaped from their prison and fell freely to the ground. "I thought she had died... that night... b-b-because she didn't come back after that..." He broke down into sobs.

Maka rubbed Crona's shoulder in a soothing motion. He must have been pretty close to that person to be so worked up about it. Slowly, his sobs died down and he wiped his face yet again.

"Sh-she wasn't anything like how you made her sound..." he started again, softer this time, as if any noise would let out another torrent of water. "She was so nice to me and Ragnarok... She told me stories through the walls and would hold me if I was scared... Most of the time, I had forgotten that she wasn't my mother... In the end I guess that's why she was forced out... and why she couldn't take me with her..."

"Crona..." Maka whispered when he paused, wrapping her arms gently around him. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." She looked him in the eyes then. "But even if she was like that to you, she's dangerous now. She's hunting humans and Kishin eggs alike, which can’t mean anything good. She is straying from the path of humanity, becoming a Kishin. She's evil."

"B-but she...!" Crona looked mortified at the thought of his caretaker becoming evil and chasing the path his mother had set him on. It just couldn't be so.

"Crona, I saw her collecting souls from a human. I'm sorry."

Before the scythe-meister could say anything more, an ear piercing howl ripped through the forest and through Death City. Maka jumped up, alert and slightly panicked. Had she found the city? Was she coming to finish what she started? Her heart thundered loudly in her chest, her breathing becoming quicker. Soul was on alert, too, coming closer to his meister and their friend. Another outcry echoed it soon after. _And she brought her friend. Great._

Crona quivered in his shoes. He was familiar with the cries of many animals that he and heard throughout his life, but this one... This one was dauntingly morbid, as if an animal were giving its death throes. But it was different from any other he had heard. Instead of death, it warranted a challenge.

And it seemed to be directed towards Maka. 

 

**_ Come and get me. _ **


	6. Heart of the Wolf — A Magical Mishap or Intentional Failure?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peak into the past of the Wolf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback Chapter. 
> 
> Note: Witches refer to each other by their animal (example: Lunaria is called the Wolf). Dialogue in the second half of the chapter is not spoken in human tongue.

It had just been another day for them, hunting, training, experimenting, the usual. The elder may have been the more reasonable of the two, but she needed to be in order to keep herself and her sister hidden. After all, they were considered abominations due to their taboo origins and unorthodox ways. It wasn't their faults for being born. They didn't even kill other beings for food or for the reasons that the Reaper did. Many of the witches they came across scorned them, called them scavengers and cursed their existence, though the elder could not blame them for that. 

The younger was brash, careless, but cunning and quick. They worked together to stay alive and keep hidden. In this ever evolving world, self-experimentation was a necessity if they were to stay alive. Of course, not everything always went according to plan. 

"Sara," the elder one spoke to the younger who looked up from her work. "I need you to promise me something."

"What do you need of me, Lorane?" she inquired, pausing in her mixing. The elder sighed heavily.

"If I am to die," she began, "I want you to use my soul to create a weapon to protect yourself." Sara tilted her head. "The Spider can help you in doing that if you are unable to so yourself. I hear she has made many weapons using the souls of other witches. Since I am mostly witch, I figured…" Her words drifted off into an uncomfortable silence. The younger stood and hugged her sibling, mindful of her sharpened fingers. They stood there embracing one another for a moment.

"You have my word, sister," she whispered softly. Lorane nodded and let go of her sister. It was time to see if this worked. 

 

~•~•~•~

 

Screaming. That's what she heard when the light flashed. Only after a few moments did she realize that it wasn't that of her sister, but her own. 

Pain. The left side of her face felt like it had been torn open and stitched haphazardly back together again. Her hand instinctively flew to her eye, covering the wet area of her face. 

_Shit!_ She attempted to cry out, only to find that her voice did not sound, worn wary from her screams. She almost began to panic, but panicking could result in immediate death. She closed her remaining eye and drew a slow breath. 

When she opened her eye, she wished that she hadn't.

Rather than seeing her sister or the experiment they had been attempting, a faint glowing purplish spherical mass floated where she had been. Her breath caught in her throat as tears welled up. Never had she cried before in her life, always hiding her fears and uncertainties behind a mask of insanity. It was often a weakness and luxury she could not afford.

"S-si-ster..." Her voice was hoarse, choking on the emotions threatening to break loose. Slowly, she crawled over to the orb that was her sister's soul, staring in awe, disbelief, and woe. Gingerly, she reached out to touch it. It emitted a comforting warmth, like that of her sister, and shone brighter the closer her claws got. She brought the tiny thing close to her body, tears and blood streaming down her face.

With the last bit of her strength, she let out a mournful wail before her body collapsed, the soul encased in her arms.

 

**~A Month Later~**

 

She had promised she would use it, but she couldn't bring herself to bear letting go of the only thing left of her family. Sara slowly raised her head to the cloudy morning sky. She couldn't hunt, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. To say she was in the lowest depths of sorrow would be an understatement.

She had left the witches' village a few days ago, had taken refuge in amongst a pack of wolves. She had caught wind that the Grim Reaper himself, along with his powerful followers, was on the hunt for witches. Even if she was only part witch, she could still be seen as a threat that needed to be done away with.

The elders of the wolf pack were reluctant to allow her in since she was an outsider, but yielded when she cured the Alpha's pup from illness with her powers. He stuck by her side from the moment he was able to stand up. It left a bittersweet taste on her tongue.

There was a loud resonating explosion a few miles away. Sara's eyes opened slowly. She looked to the pup on her lap. Gently, she coaxed him to wake and closed her eyes when he was off of her lap. A soft light came from within her body and engulfed her. When the light cleared, in place of the half-witch stood an auburn wolf. She motioned for the pup to follow her as she sought out the Alpha. If that noise was what she thought it was, being here was putting the pack in danger.

 

 

"I must leave," she began carefully to the sleek black wolf that was the Alpha. "Danger is coming and it would be wise to move your pack elsewhere for the time being."

"What is this danger you speak of?" he replied with curiosity and pride in his wolfish tone. He growled threateningly. "We have held Our ground here for many moons. Why should We abandon it now?"

"The village of the magic users is to be nothing but ruins come the setting of the moon this night," she answered. "This is not an enemy you will survive should you try. It is a follower of the Grim Reaper, the one that holds death above us all."

The Alpha's female stiffens a little. She had bared witness of the Halfling's tales of the world of two-legged creatures, and she didn't doubt a word of the destruction that had been wrought on the lands outside their territory. She looked now to her mate, worry for the pack rising in her. The Alpha grimaced.

"How long before We will be able to return to Our lands," he growled. Though this stranger had not been with them long, not once had she been wrong in knowing what was to come.

"Within the next moon, I assure you," the auburn one confirmed, bowing her head. "If, by that time, I am still alive, I will return to you, Alpha."

"See to it that you do not fail, Caster," he snarled, a name he had taken to calling her upon witnessing her use of magic when she had cured his only spawn.

"I will not fail you, Alpha."


	7. World of Fire and Madness — Is an Empty Life Worth Living?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Into the fire.

The stale air pained her lungs as she ran across the terrain. The moon above her dripped with the blood of the witches as they were slain. Whoever had been sent must be extremely powerful. Sara shuddered, but did not slow her pace until an orange glow lit upon the horizon.

Where the witches' village once stood, embers danced in the light of the blazes that had been the homes. She hesitantly reverted to her human form, but regretted it the instant a shadow with the glowing pattern of three vertical eyes appeared in the flames. She trembled at the immense power this person's soul held, one many times stronger than her own. Her chest tightened as her instincts began to take hold of her body.

A bright light formed in front of the figure as Sara rolled to her left to avoid the oncoming beam of power. This person had expected her to do that and had aimed the beam a tad more left than where she came to a stop. The separation of the beam and herself was almost nonexistent as it blazed past, the heat of the soul wavelength causing her hairs to stand on end.

She remained still as another blast began charging. Could she make out of the way in time? Did she want to? The beam shot towards her.

Sara closed her eyes.


	8. Chase the Light — Fear the Follower of the Reaper?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Run  
> Run  
> Run far  
> Run fast  
> The chase has only begun

A bright light surrounded her. Was she dead? Was this what death felt like? She slowly opened her eyes.

Her surroundings were the same as before, the village in ruins and burning to a crisp, but the heat no longer seeming to bother her. She looked to the figure that had fired the beams at her. Had they missed on purpose? Looking around her confirmed that the blast did in fact mean to hit her, as the scorch marks from said blast lined on either side of her. What had happened? How had she not been hit?

She inched back a few paces, making her way to an opening in the flames, keeping her eyes on the stranger. They tilted their head, seeming to watch her almost curiously. When she was close enough to an opening, she transformed into her wolf and ran at full speed in the opposite direction.

What was that thing?! Her mind ran wildly as she bolted through the forest, high bursts of adrenalin pumping through her bloodstream as the creature began to pursue her at a slower pace than hers. It would wait for her to run out of energy.

~•~•~•~•~

It had been at least a day or two and the creature, person, whatever it was, had not ceased in its chase. Sara panted heavily, her muscles aching and begging for relief. She had long since run out of excess stamina and enough magic to keep her pace even and far ahead of the figure that followed her. She wasn't going to last much longer.

Her paw suddenly snags on an upturned tree root, causing her to lose her balance and flinging her body into an open field. As she rolled to a stop, her transformation reversed itself, leaving her pale skin cut and bruised on the loose rocks and brambles. She was out in the open again, exhausted and vulnerable.

 

Slowly, the figure emerged from the trees, his many layers of clothing causing him to drag his feet along the slick dewy blades of grass. It was a nice feeling, he thought distantly as he came closer to the limp form in the center of the clearing. The scarves that covered his face came undone so he could get a clearer look at what he was dealing with. It was obvious to him that she possessed the powers of a witch, but not fully, as her transformation would have lasted longer had she been able to harness it. Her Soul Protection seemed to be weakening as well.

He began to circle her as he studied her form carefully. She wasn't wearing very much, nakedness was so wrong, but what she was wearing was bound tightly on her upper half and around her waist, the plum colored sweats covering her pale cream skinned legs. Her toes appeared to be clawed as well as her fingers, though the fingers looked to be encased and fused with the nail to form sharp and slightly bent instruments for tearing through flesh and bone. They were probably created in a form of self experimentation.

Looking at her face seemed to answer a few questions rattling in his scattered brain. The skin was pale, like the rest of her, dark auburn tresses fanned out around her, framing her delicate face. The left portion of her face had a pinkish hue to it, suggesting tissue damage that had been healing for a while now, and a dark reddish purple bruise covered the eye. It would most likely never heal completely. Shame.

As her Soul Protection faded, his eyes widened slightly and he jumped back, in part because he wanted to see her soul fully before killing her and devouring it, but also due to the intense magnitude of her soul's power. He had devoured many of the defeated witches' souls, but this one had to be one of the most powerful of those from the village he had reduced to ash and charcoal. It simply breathed Madness. But the oddest part of it all...

 

She had another soul with her that held a greater strength than hers.

 

Her form shifted its weight slightly as her consciousness returned to her. The low hum as insanity filled the clearing. Slowly, she lifted herself up onto her forearms then her hands, her arms shaking from fatigue. Her breaths came out as long, ragged pants for air as her head hung low, her face hiding behind a curtain of hair. After a moment, she peeked out to catch a glimpse of the one that had chased her here. Her blood ran cold.

His body, save his feet, hands and head for the moment, was covered in layers upon layers of cloth, the outer top being a dark maroon with vertical black stripes and the bottoms a dark navy blue. Scarves seemed to almost sprout out of every direction from this man, some hanging almost limply in the air, others having wrapped themselves tightly around their owner.

But the part about him that seemed to unnerved her the most was his face. Framed by black locks that appeared to hold white eyes upon them, his skin was almost a sickly pale, a color that rivaled her own complexion. Then there were his eyes.

He had not one nor two, but three eyes, the third situated on his forehead and turned vertically. All three were a deep blood red and the pupils of his main eyes looked to hold smaller eyes within them. 

And the look in them told her to be afraid.


	9. Distortion of the Mind — One Whose Soul Mirrors my Own?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conversation is had.

They watched each other for several minutes, neither moving closer or further to the other. The female eventually looked away, face turned down in sadness. This made Asura curious. Why would she run for so long just to give up?

"Are you going to kill me...?" Her voice was surprisingly steady, soft and melodic as it drifted to his ears. He blinked once, twice. Was he going to kill her? She was hardly a threat at this point, he could quite easily end her life, so...

Why was he hesitating?

"You're not afraid..." he whispered back, surprising himself by how strange he sounded. She slowly looked back up to him, a small broken smile on her lips. He noticed it then in her eyes: the grief, the guilt, the loneliness.

"Does it matter?" she answered. "Why should I be afraid when death would only end my pain...?" She slowly closed her eyes. "I'm not afraid to die anymore..."

Asura frowned. In all his life, never had he come across someone so willing to accept their fate. He stared at her soul, unsure of what he was seeing. She wasn't a full blooded witch or a Kishin Egg, so what could she be then?

"What are you?" His voice came out as nothing more than a breath in the wind, but she seemed to catch it. Her beautiful blues opened, again coming to rest on his form. He shifted slightly under her surprisingly gentle gaze. Why was he hesitating?

"Things like me don't have a name..." She lay back on the cool grass, her eyes closing again. The near casualness of the conversation was off putting. "We are not even supposed to exist, though we get called plenty of thing; freaks... monsters... The list goes on and on..."

"How is your soul as strong as it is." His jaw clenched as the words left his mouth. She gave a small hum of acknowledgement as her arms spread out with her hair.

"The world is a strange place, don't you think?" He scowled as she dodged his question. "It allows thing that shouldn't exist to live while others die. My sister taught me that." Her hand came to rest on the pouch at her side that hid the stronger soul. "She was tired of running, so she ended it all, at least that’s what I think. She was the last thing that kept me going." She stared at him again, her eyes slowly becoming more lively. “And what of you? I have yet to come across a soul such as yours.”

“That is not important,” he dismisses, suddenly becoming self-conscious. He slowly lowers himself to sitting, seeing as the tension between them had deescalated. He wasn’t sure why he was continuing to allow her to live, but for now he would see how things played out. 

 

~•~•~•~

 

Months passed after the odd encounter between the two, and each had found that they simply could not get the other out of their minds. At first, it would be a fleeting or in passing thought, nothing too big. But it slowly began to consume them both.

Sara returned to her pack and adopted the Alpha's pup as her protector. Asura had returned, uneasily, to his position at the Grim Reaper's side, each day becoming more of a nightmare. He didn't know what, why, or how, but something about that girl had seemed to put him in a state of peace, when at Death's side he felt weak and afraid. He began to catch himself longing to be near the creature that made him feel safe. In control of his own destiny.

The two found their souls being drawn together, pulling their physical beings to get closer. When they finally did run into each other again, no words were needed. The pull was stronger than will.

The girl, who by this point had grown into a fierce young woman, attempted to explain this pull as a sign that they were meant to be close to each other, not apart as they had been. She expressed the feeling of being whole when she felt his soul tug at hers, his own mirroring this. It was then that she declared her loyalty to him, of which he would not doubt her as wolves were loyal creatures. They continued their meetings in secret for many months that followed, growing closer.

 

But cruel fate decided it was time for their unity to come to an end. Asura had begun consuming human souls in a quest to become stronger, shattering what little chance of what they could have had together. The Reaper took it upon himself to deal out his punishment. A sack created of his own skin would be Asura's cage. Buried beneath the desert sands, a city was erected atop his tomb, sealing him away. 

Cries of anguish echoed across the land for many long weeks that followed.


	10. Battle of the Sands — The Halfling is Allies with Who?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who defines what evil is?

The roar of the engine and the wheels on the sand were nothing more than a white noise to her as she sat behind her partner, clinging to him as they sped deeper into the thick aura of madness. Maka clenched her jaw as another wave seemed to brush over them. It was so much heavier than last time; if she wasn't careful, she could end up relapsing back to the tiny drops of black pumping through her bloodstream.

 

Suddenly, the motorcycle puffed out a stream of smoke as the engine seemed to die, causing the albino to slow his ride to a stop.

 

"The hell?!" he demanded angrily, trying to get it to start again. "Dammit! Come on!"

 

"Soul." The blonde's voice stilled the weapon as he turned to her, her eyes filled with both fear and determination. "Can you hear that?"

 

As the engine of the cycle had gone quiet, his ears began to pick up something. He glanced towards the direction his meister was facing and was left dumbfounded. Not more than a hundred meters or so away, a figure stood out against the sand, moving around and dipping as if by some invisible puppet master, a saddening tune echoing out into the vastness of the desert.

Just as suddenly as they picked it up, it ceased and the figure stilled. The distance between them seemed to almost vanish as the figure came into focus. Long, unkempt auburn hair, loose pale pink top, faded blue sweats, and blue eyes that could drive a grown man to cower in fear. She smiled at them.

 

"I see you received my invitation, child," she spoke with a teasing tone, her sharp claws clicking audibly against one another. "Maka Albarn, yes? And Soul Evans."

 

"Sarah--"

 

"Sara," she rudely cut off the young meister. "It's Sa-Ra. If you wish to address me, do so properly. We are all civilized creatures here, no?"

 

"Whatever!" Maka grunted, a scowl evident upon her face. She pointed at the older female. "You have strayed from the path of humanity and are inherently evil and we --!"

 

Bouts of laughter effectively cut her off as the darker haired girl seemed to almost fly off the rails with amusement. As she began to calm herself, her still able eye locked with forest greens.

 

"Strayed from the path of humanity? Inherently _evil?!_ " She seemed to double over in laughter again. "Oh, dear, sweet girl, I was never truly human to begin with. To treat me as something so lowly," she chuckled again before grimacing, "is unacceptable. I am no Hell-bound Kishin Egg. To say that I am evil," her grimace turned into a scowl, "would be a lie."

"Madness isn't evil," her voice seemed to double in Maka's mind and her blood ran cold. Those were the exact same words Asura had fed her as he had repaired himself from her failed Kishin Hunter attack, a blast of power that had been aimed at her hitting Soul instead and almost killing him. The same words he had been repeating to her in her nightmares as she tossed and turned in her sleep for weeks on end now. Those were words of Kishin.

 

Maka turn to grab Soul only to find that she could only turn part of the way. Glancing down to her feet, she found them slowly sinking into the sand. The stars vanished and the moon turned black in the now red sky as eyes appeared from all sides, mocking her in her attempt to escape.

 

_Calm down_ , Maka, she told herself. _This isn't real! She's making you see things! Soul is just a little to my right. If I can just..._

 

Her fingers locked with her partner's as he transforms, the light of the transformation breaking the darkness of the illusion. The half-witch frowned and an eerie fuchsia glow began to bathe her claw-like fingers. Maka charged and swung at her a few times, each time the elder would just dodge and jump back only to repeat the cycle. After a few more times of this, Sara smirked.

 

"Soul Protect: Release!" her voice boomed, causing Maka to stumble back slightly before her senses were assaulted by the halfling's powerful wavelength. It was easily as strong as a witch or a three star meister if not stronger, combined with the new waves of madness pouring off of her, it was enough to make Maka dizzy. "You see, dear child, since we are now outside the range of the Reaper's eye, there won't be anyone to come and save you if you get into trouble." Her claws continued to click together, her face growing dark. "Are you sure you are willing to take that risk?"

 

" ** _Aaaaaghhhhh!_** " Maka yelled as she changed again, swinging almost blindly. _Damn! How is she so fast?!_ Spotting movement in the corner of her eye, Maka flipped Soul around into defense stance as Sara's claws came rushing in, meeting with the blade of the scythe. She chuckled and leaned closer.

 

"You know what I find most interesting, Maka?" she sneers before jumping back as another swing comes in. "That you just don't seem to get it! You're the smartest in your class, yes?! So come on then! **Hit me!** " Maka lunges for one last swing as Sara jumps back a few pace, a smirk appearing on her face. "You missed." Now it was Maka's turn to smirk.

 

"Did I?"

 

"Wha--?" Sara's right sleeve burst into pieces of pale pink and purple fabric. "How..?" Hatred and dread overwhelmed the young meister as her eyes came to rest upon the mark that had been uncovered, the three dark eyes seeming to stare back at her.

 

_That mark!_ Maka's vision began to almost bleed red with rage. _She's with the **Kishin?!**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An illustration of this chapter can be found at the original posting.


	11. High Tides – Madness that Threatens to Consume My Soul?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Round and round we go.

A cackling shriek ripped through the air as it grew heavier.

"How?!" Sara screeched, claws appearing to dig into her skull. "I had everything calculated out perfectly!" Her eyes convulsed rapidly in their sockets, jerking this way and that. Suddenly, she went still. Maka tensed and her jaw clenched, preparing herself for any abrupt attacks that may come. Slowly, the claws lowered and her arms went limp by her sides, a chuckle beginning to form in her throat. A crazed laughter bubbled forth from her lips as she threw her head back.

"Yes, I see it now!" she managed in a bout of laughter. "How clever! I didn't expect you to be such a quick learner! You used my own confidence against me! How clever indeed!" 

"Kishin!" Maka hissed at the insane female. This made the female quiet down a little.

"Hardly. You give me too much credit," she spoke mockingly, "but what does that make you? A weapon taking on the role of a meister? HA! You're just as much a freak as Us." The ground behind her began to part as a turquoise and golden sword rose from the sea of sand, its hilt topped with a deep red crystal. Sara's hand wrapped firmly around the grip as she pulled the weapon free. The blade was curved slightly and easily a meter long. She directed the tip towards the younger meister. "Your soul resonates with a power akin to Our own."

Maka's foot twists sharply as she propels herself towards the halfling. A bright light flashes around the sword as a chain replaces the jewel and the blade grows thicker. Sara's hands easily maneuvered the heavy weapon as the chain wrapped around her arm and she pushed the blade forward with her unoccupied hand, parrying Maka's attack without much effort. Sparks fly as the two weapons clash. Sara smirks.

"Howling Roar," she utters. The sword lets out an ear-splitting howl, causing Soul to wince at the attack. The feel of it reminds him of the time they had fought Ragnarok and Crona, how the vibrations of the air had magnified the effects of their resonance. Sara pushes the blonde back a few paces before jumping into the air. The meister swiftly brings her scythe into a defensive position as the halfling comes crashing down, her sword striking the pole head on, causing more sparks to fly out. Soul cries out in pain as the blade cut him. 

"Soul!" Whilst Maka was distracted by her partner's pained shout, Sara forces her back with a shove that knocked her off her feet.

"Should be more worried about yourself, girlie." As the halfling spoke, a flare of pain shot up Maka's back, making her cry out. Sara lowers her weapon as the girl began to writhe in agony before her. "You're not the only one that made a hit." Light flashes as Soul appears by his meister's side with a panic-stricken face. "The cuts themselves won't be enough to kill you. They didn't even break the skin." Another light flashes as the sword shifts to a small dagger which the halfling sheathes along her lower back. "The poison, however, is painful enough to drive people mad, or so I’ve been told.”

"You bastard," the albino hisses. The russet-haired female simply smiles.

"Tell ya what," she began, the weapon glaring at her with crimson eyes, "I'll heal your meister in return for a simple favor. Whaddya say, scythe? You up for a deal?"

"S-Soul..." The blonde's pained voice drew his attention back to her. "Y-you can't..."

"B-but you'll die if I don't," he whispers, his voice cracking slightly. Tears threatened to fall from his ruby orbs.

"Tick tock, Soul Eater," Sara pressed. "Time's running out."

Soul closes his eyes and, for once, weighed his options and began to think it through. His teeth grit together as he opens his eyes, looking up at the insane female.

"What do you want," he growls out, causing her smile to widen. "I'll do anything to save my meister.”

"Awe, how sweet," she coos, "but you have naught to fear, young lad. What I want is fairly simple, and for both of your sakes, I will explain when I am through." With that, she knelt down on the other side of Maka, her face drawn into a mask of faux seriousness before she smiles at the pig-tail wearing meister. "Now, dearie, I'm going to need you to hold very still. The poison is attached to your soul and will not come loose easily. This isn't going to hurt as much if you remain still. Move too much and you'll have wished I let you die." She glances at the albino, motioning for him to hold her down, to which he complied.

 

"This is going to be very painful."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, illustration can be found at the original posting.


	12. Fact of the Matter – A Bond that Transcends Death Itself?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so returns a powerful foe.

A darkness clouded the space of the blood red watered plane, the sky filled with a crimson haze that ended in black. She looked in confusion at her surroundings. This wasn't her soul, but it echoed a similar energy, though it was multiplied many times over. If it wasn't hers, then whose was it?

"Ah! There she is!" spoke a somewhat cheery voice.

Maka spun around, her shoes causing her to slip slightly, her eyes coming to rest on a girl. She was identical to the one she had just fought, though her hair was darker and even more disarray, but instead of the dull colored clothing she had adorned, burgundy sweats hung loosely from her waist, her torso and upper left arm bound by tightly wrapped strips of cloth. Where the right arm should have mirrored the left were those three dark eyes. Maka scowled to which the girl replied with a cheeky grin.

"Awe, don't be like that!" she chirped with upturned closed eyes. "You should be happy I'm helping you! After all," her eyes opened and her smile turned to a sinister smirk, the sky going completely black, " **you're in _Our_ domain now.**"

In the darkness, hundreds of bloodshot eyes opened all around them. Startled, Maka gasps and falls back, landing with a splash on the surface of the crimson liquid, her heart threatening to burst forth from its fleshy prison. Sara doubles over in a howling laughter, her claws flying to her sides as if to contain it.

"Oh, yes!" she crowed between spasms. "That was priceless!" She pretends to wipe a tear from her eye before calming down. "Don't you just love that look on them?"

"Indeed," a smooth voice came from behind Maka before she could comprehend the question. She scrambles away from the source as _he_ materialized from the rising spout of liquid. "Though I find it much more amusing here since there’s no threat." Asura stares down at Maka, his scarves floating almost peacefully. Her breathing came rapidly as adrenaline pumped through her veins. His gaze drew upwards to Sara as he emitted a dark chuckle. "I'm surprised you even managed to draw her in here, considering how strong her will is."

"Being under the influence of magic tends to make the soul more persuadable," came her reply. His feet picked up off the surface as he drifted towards the darker haired female. "Besides, we can't have her going entirely mad on us, now can we?"

"I see," he says when he reaches the older girl, Maka following his every movement with her eyes. His hand slowly cupped the woman’s face, fingers running through the russet locks. Sara leaned into his touch as his scarves took hold of her arms and torso, her eyes closing. The blonde watched in slight horror and confusion as the Kishin seemed to almost pet this woman for a few moments, moving her this way and that, before turning back to her. "So your spell is able to bring down even the strongest of souls."

"Well the technique was intended for allowing myself to outlast my opponents without needing to attack multiple times," Sara says with a giggle. The scarves on her arms release her as Asura's arms take their place around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder, her hand coming to his cheek. "Speed is one of my finer qualities, after all."

Maka remained silent through the exchange, watching in amazement as two of the most insane beings she had ever come across seemingly show affections towards one another. Her mind refused to make sense of what her eyes were seeing.

"You are confused?" Sara questions, drawing the younger girl out of her trance. Maka blinked and swallowed. The russet frowns and let go of Asura, who wrapped one of his scarves loosely around her waist and came to stand next to her. "Oh, I see what it is. Did you honestly think that we were heartless creatures unable to feel for others? Savage beasts that exist only to cause destruction and chaos?" Asura chuckled at this, pulling her closer to him. "Well, perhaps on our own, being shown all that is rotten in this world, no light or warmth from those we find. But we found each other."

 

"B-b-but you're..." Maka fell silent as she felt a sharp pang in her chest. A soft glow emitted from her skin as she began to float a little. She stared at herself in awe. "Wh-what..?"

"Seems like your time in here is almost up," Asura spoke as his eyes remained focused on Maka. "I'll be anxiously waiting to see you on the surface, little meister."

With a chuckle, he seemed to liquify and surround the darker haired woman, her clothes melting back to what they had been and her hair becoming more vibrant. One thing different, Maka noted, was a dark red crystal glowing brightly from around her neck. As the rest of the world went black, Sara stepped towards the scythe meister, her clawed hand slowly grasping one of her pigtails. As much as Maka tried to pull away, her body was frozen in place.

"It's quite amazing," the halfling spoke in a gentle voice. "In a way, we're not so different, you and I. We both wish to protect the ones we care about. We may have different methods, but the end is the same. You were born of two bloods just as my kind are. I did not choose to be this way; it chose me, just as it was decided that you would be made a meister though you are capable of being a weapon." Her claws trailed dangerously across the young girl's cheek. "I _will_ reach my goal, no matter if you fight me every step of the way." She pushes away as light grew from the scythe meister. "See you on the outside."

 

~~~~

 

Maka's eyes snapped open and her body lurched upwards as air forced its way into her lungs. Soul sat beside her, a mix of concern and relief evident in his ruby gaze. The halfling's standing form loomed over them both as she stared down with an expressionless face, her clothing seeming to have repaired itself. The scythe meister groaned in pain when she tried to sit up. Her whole body felt foreign to her and sore. Large red clouds filled the sky around them, blocking out the sun but keeping it from being completely dark.

"Whelp," Sara said, effectively breaking the silence as she clapped her hands together, "I've done my part, now it's time for you to hear yours."

"What do you want," Maka asked reluctantly. As much as she hated it, she _did_ just save her life, even though the Halfling was the reason it was in danger in the first place. A somewhat coy smile broke across the woman’s face.

 

"I want you to take me to Death."


	13. The Plan Revealed – Another Secret of Lord Death?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conversation is had between ancient beings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for the Manga

Maka kept her head down as they walked through the Academy halls, Sara following behind her and looking around in wonder. Her claws had shortened and her feet became covered in some sort of red ooze, hardening to look something like shoes, her true soul hidden by a protection spell. She looked normal enough to almost be just an ordinary human, but Maka knew better. This person was dangerous and could not be left alone. Before they had even entered the building, she had asked Soul to find their group and bring them to the Death Room, incase the Halfling decided to cause trouble.

"It's a lot prettier than I thought it would be," the half-witch said in amazement. "I mean, sure I've been around the building a few times, but never up here. Can't exactly just walk through the front doors. Hahaha!"

 _She's almost as annoying as Black★Star_ , Maka thought, grinding her teeth as they came up to the doors of the Death Room. The extravagant gates opened as she stood in front of them, the path of guillotine archways revealing itself. Maka marched forward, not looking back at the thing behind her, following in awe. As the walkway opened up in to the circular room, she stopped, causing the girl behind her jerk back to avoid touching her. Lord Death stood at his mirror, back to them. Maka cleared her throat to catch his attention.

"Hiya, hello!" At the sound of his voice, Sara fell over in laughter. Death tilted his head, looking to Maka for an explanation, causing the blonde to sigh.

"When he said you told him you wanted to be more 'kid friendly'," the halfling began after calming down a little, "I didn't think he meant _that! Hahahaha! Hah_... Long time no see, eh Reaper?"

The room was silent and the air thickened. Maka stood as still as she possibly could as the ginger haired woman moved from behind her to right in front of Death. The two stares at each other for what felt like hours. Just she opened her mouth to speak, Black★Star and Kid, along with their weapons, came running in.

"Father," the young Reaper almost shouted, his twin pistols transforming into his hands as he took aim at the woman. Said woman merely let out a soft chuckle before turning to face the teens, a smile on her face.

"Maka, you didn't tell me you sent for company~," she chirped in a too sickeningly sweet voice. "You shouldn't have~!" She suddenly seemed to vanish as a large white hand came down where she had been standing. "Such lovely souls you all have." Kid spun around, firing his guns, when her voice came from behind him, only to miss as she disappears again. "Yours in particular seems quite fascinating," she said as she appeared behind Tsubaki, one of her claws twirling a little of the girl's long ponytail. The weapon instantly squeaked as Black★Star rushed in to hit the Halfling, striking her in the arm with his soul's wavelength and throwing her back. The Halfling dug her claws into the floor and propelled herself up and right-side up, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "That was a poor idea on your part."

Black★Star groaned in pain, collapsing to one knee as his hand began glowing a dull magenta.

"Black★Star!" Tsubaki cried out, rushing to her meister's side.

"Damn it hurts!" he gritted as the light dimmed. "So you think you can knock down a big star like me, huh?"

"I don't think, boy," Sara said calmly. "I know I could." Maka gritted her teeth, catching the older girl's attention. "Oh, hush it. The spell won't kill him. It's defensive, not offensive." She seemed to vanish again as Kid shot at her. "Is this how you always treat your guests? With hostility and malcontent?" She stepped out from behind one of the crosses, running her fingers along it. "I come in of my own volition and you children are so bent that you won't even let me get a word in as to why." She walked slowly towards them, holding her hands up a little in a show of her lack of intentions to fight, her eyes looking at the black holes in the Reaper's mask representing his eyes. "We each have something the other wants and I want to offer a means to achieve it."

"What could a thing like you possibly have to offer us?!" Kid yelled at her, his weapons ready. Her eyes drifted to the young Reaper and he instantly regretted drawing her attention. Her left eye was vacant and a dull shade of blue, her right eye being brighter and full of thought. He glared at the one flaw in her symmetry, said that could justify his actions more than anything else. That one thing was the only mistake in her form. "You disgust me."

"And you must be the younger one," she spoke calmly, a small, almost kind smile gracing her lips. "I think I like yours the most. It reminds me of my purpose here." She turned back to Death. "I have a proposal, Death. I have a bit of information on a major thorn in your side and I’ll give it to you. In exchange for that, you have something I need."

"Oh?" Death tilted his head. "And what would that be?"

"I need 200 souls," she stated bluntly. "I plan to bring him back." Maka's eyes flared with realization and rage.

"NO!" she yelled suddenly, startling almost everyone. "Lord Death, she plans to revive the Kishin!" Everyone aimed their weapons at the woman again, renewed fire in their veins, but she just continued keeping eye contact with Death.

"I am not the naïve child I was 800 years ago," she said after a moment. "I have grown stronger since then, wiser, too. I know what I am doing and you can trust me when I say that he will stay in control this time." She slowly lowered one of her hands to the small of her back, the other to the glowing jewel around her neck. She pulled out her dagger and held it out, hilt first. "I was so close last time, but that stupid Spider just had to ruin it. I miss him. Everyone is entitled to a little happiness, don't you think? Don't you want him to become the way he was? The person you could rely on to get the job done and not cower in fear behind you?"

"Why would Father care about him? He's a monster!" Kid yelled at her, stepping so close that if he leaned forward, the tips of his guns would touch the auburn locks. Her head turned to look at him, a mildly surprised expression on her face.

"Oh, you didn't tell him?" Her brow furrowed. "That is just cruel." She dropped her dagger as it started to glow. When it hit the floor, it turned into a large, beautiful grey coated wolf with a patch of bright golden fur along its underbelly, a thicker area of fur the looked almost like hair atop its head, and frighteningly intelligent turquoise eyes. It sat down next to its master, remaining quiet. Almost everyone in the room was tense by this point.

"What are you saying, you piece of filth," the young boy hissed, his fingers putting a little more pressure on the triggers. "Father, what the hell is this thing talking about? What are you not telling me?" Sara gave him a sad smile.

 

"He is your brother."


	14. How Shocking! Old Foes on the Rise?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the return of an enemy, one must put aside their differences with a lesser foe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone ffot kudos and comments! I plan for the final story to be around 50 or so chapters with a sequel already being planned. Hope you enjoy the bit of tension in this chapter!

The air thickened with a sudden harshness. If a pin had dropped, it would have shattered the silence.

" _ **Liar!**_ " Kid's voice rang out as he pulled the triggers of his twin pistols. Sara lurched forward on impact, dipping down almost to the ground before snapping back up, one of her legs coming up in a backwards roundhouse kick. The young Reaper's arm shot up in a defensive block, colliding with the Halfling’s leg. His golden irises locked with the cyan pools and he was almost surprised to see the hardened, serious expression lying within them, her smile having turn to a hard pressed line. He jumped back and continued to shoot at her. Her body took every hit he threw her way, seeming to absorb each wavelength, the force throwing her back slightly, but she did not fall.

Suddenly she was directly in front of him, her palms pressed to the muzzles of each gun, glowing a soft purple. Kid almost stumbled back, but held his ground. Eyes locked in a battle of wills as she stood there, a blank expression on her face. Kid pulled the triggers and was stunned when nothing happened.

"I did not come here to fight you," she spoke softly, almost in a way that a mother would to a frightened child. "I find it rather pointless to fight someone so young. It would be too easy and would only waste my time." The purplish glow spread to the twin pistols, forcing them out of their weapon forms as she stepped back. "What would be the point in lying if you would not believe the truth?"

"I think that's quite enough from the two of you," Death spoke then, gliding past the wolf and patting it once on the head. Kid gritted his teeth and glared at the older reaper.

"Is what this thing says true, Father?" he almost snarled, hate and betrayal evident in his golden gaze. When he did not answer, Kid growled. "Well?!"

The Halfling walked over to the wolf and jumped onto its back, resting her head while she waited. Death let out a sigh.

"As much as you all may dislike it," he began slowly, "she speaks the truth."

"How..." Kid fell to his knees in shock. "It's impossible..."

"Hardly impossible," Sara piped up before getting picked up by the Reaper's fingers on the back of the pink cloth of her shirt. "Quite frankly I think there should have been more of you. But oh well." After this remark left her mouth, she was dropped, landing easily, then hastily Reaper chopped. She stumbled back and fell on her bum, grabbing at her throbbing head. "Yeesh, that really freakin' hurts, ya know."

"Regardless if the Kishin is in fact your son, Lord Death," Maka spoke up, "allowing him to be reborn would be against everything the DWMA has ever taught us. It could unleash world wide chaos!"

"Oh, shut your mouth, you stupid girl," Sara countered, cackling, causing Maka to scowl. "Even if none of you want him to come back, I will bring him back, with or without your permission. There is no point in sitting here arguing over the inevitable." The woman stood and dusted off her clothes. "It is simply a matter of time before the pieces come into place."

"Then why the hell are even here?" came Black★Star's voice. "Just here to try to outshine a big star like me?"

"Hardly," came the quick reply. "My intention here was to gain the resources I need to speed up the process. I am also in need of a powerful ally for an upcoming battle. An army of two just will not do against the force I wish to exterminate." A pair of footsteps began approaching as the auburn haired woman took hold of the transforming wolf-to-dagger, sheathing it behind her back. "A few late comers I hear. So nice to finally have the whole party up and —"

"S-S-Sa-ra...?" sounded the timid voice of the lilac haired boy in disbelief. Slowly, the Halfling turned her head to face his, shock and relief seeming to fill her face. She took a small step towards the demon sword meister before dashing to him and embracing him tightly. Everyone in the room seemed frozen in shock as Crona began tearing up and hugged the woman back.

Maka fumed, about ready to stomp over to the two, when Soul puts a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him questioningly, but he shook his head.

"Y-you're alive...?" came a whisper from the demon sword meister, his hands gripping the elder's shirt as he sobbed. She held him closer, merely nodding, her eyes closed, the boy beginning to sniffle.

"Shh shh shhh... It is okay," she whispered, her claws shortening and rounding off as she rubbed his back soothingly. "Shh... I am here..." She gently placed a kiss on the top of his head as he continued to cling to her. Maka's anger melted a little at the sight of the two embracing one another, but was easily renewed when she remembered Crona had said about how he had been left by this person with Medusa.

"I-I'm s-so glad you're okay..." the younger sword meister spoke before Maka could move.

"As am I, my child," she spoke back gently. Maka's brow furrowed. Her child? Medusa was Crona's mother, so what did the Halfling mean by that? A wettish noise and black movement snapped her from her thoughts.

"And what the hell am I? Chopped liver?!" the demon sword screeched loudly. The half-witch let out a gentle chortle, her hand coming to rest on his tiny black form.

"Of course, Ragnarok," she said to him, patting his head. "You, too."

"Well, sorry to ruin the touching moment and all," the younger Reaper quipped, "but I believe more pressing matters are at hand."

"I agree," Maka states, still looking quite sour. "Why would we just let you have what you need to revive him?"

"Let me have them?" Sara lets out a short bark of laughter, scoffing and turning back to the group. "I would not expect you to. I am not stupid as you seem to think. That is why I have a proposition for you, Death."

"Oh?" The eldest Reaper tilts his head. "And what might that be?"

"Lord Death, you can't seriously be considering to --"

"Quiet, you little bitch," Sara seethed, clicking her claws again in agitation. "Why can't you just learn to hold your tongue."

"S-Sara..." The woman stops when Crona speaks up, letting out a sigh and shortening her claws again, refocusing her attention on the task at hand.

"In order to obtain the souls I require, I need to be able to locate prey more quickly. My eyes can only see so far after all." She straightens herself and looks up at Death. "You have a much more efficient strategy for harvesting them." She looks to the demon sword meister before turning back to the Reaper. "The Snake is not as dead as you think."

Many of the children's faces turn to fear and terror at the mention that Medusa was still alive, but the two oldest beings in the room paid them no mind.

"That's impossible!" Maka yells to break the tense silence. "She died by my Genie Hunter! There's no way --!" Maka's voice is cut off as the Halfling's dangerous hand grips her face, an angered look in her blue eyes. Soul's blade comes out to meet her neck.

"I told you to keep your mouth shut," she hisses, squeezing her cheeks warningly before throw her back, just enough to make her stumble slightly, before wandering back in front of the Reaper. "The Snake is alive and every moment we waste on this nonsensical drivel, the more power she gains. This is why I need to revive Asura in order to even have a chance at killing the bitch."

"And what do you want me to do about it?" Death asks. Sara smiles almost sweetly.

 

"I would like to formally request to join this school."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the manga, Medusa does survive against Maka and goes in search for a new host body. She’s no ordinary snake, she’s a hydra lol


	15. Unfortunate Confliction – How Can That Be True?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Decisions, decisions, decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added a bit of my original author’s note at the end since this chapter was so serious. Note that the end of chapter notes in the original publication are always comedic. Also I am terrible at writing action sequences.

The afternoon was rather peaceful as Sara sat still in a clearing, listening to the call of nature. She had decided to give the Reaper until nightfall to choose to let her join the DWMA or not. She felt that he would, but who knew what ran through his skull. He was a rather peculiar type after all. 

Her ear twitches as a snap is heard. She remains still as she slowly opens her eyes, three young meisters and their weapons surrounding her. She lets out a long sigh.

"I find it rather ironic," she speaks, standing slowly. The green eyed scythe meister says nothing as she watches, her lips formed in a frown of anger, "that the so called peacekeepers of the world are often the ones that initiate most of the fighting. Does my plan really matter to you that much?"

"If it means reviving the Kishin," Kid speaks instead, "then we cannot allow it."

"I just can’t seem to figure it out," Sara growls, clenching her fists. "You each have people in your lives that are important to you beyond reason, that you would lay down your lives for." Her jaw tightens. "Am I not allowed that same luxury? After all that I have witnessed, is it not fair for my sake to be with the one I care most about? This emptiness, it’s not like losing a friend or a sibling. Hell, it’s not even like losing a partner. You just don't get it."

"So what?" Black★Star jumps in, his weapon looking at him in surprise. Tsubaki's gaze softens at the pain in Sara's blue orbs. Having to lose Masamune to his jealously and rage was painful, having to kill him even more so, but if just the thought of losing Black★Star was too much, she couldn't imagine the torment the woman before them was going through. "You don't just go around killing people."

"Whoever said anything about killing people," she hisses at the boy, glaring harshly at him with anger in her eyes. Her gaze shifts to Maka, a scowl coming on her face. "I never killed anyone."

"What about that human soul you were with when we first saw you," the scythe meister questions. Sara gives a bittersweet laugh.

"You think I killed that human?" Her eyes looked saddened by the accusation. "Her blood was on the hands of the Kishin Egg I killed. I did not touch her."

"But you didn't stop her from getting killed." Sara's smile fades as she lowers her head. "You are just as much to blame."

"So that's what you think of me," she mutters. "Why do you think Kishin and witches exist in the first place? To keep the human population in check." She looks up. "It's the natural order. Besides," she smiles wickedly then, "why get one soul when you can have two for half the effort?"

She vanishes as Liz and Patty transform and Kid fires the weapons, missing the Halfling by inches. He spins around as she appears behind him, bringing his elbow down, planning to ram her in the head, but is met with her strong arms colliding with his. Her face is once again a form of sorrow, but also of frustration. He jumps back as she shoves, her limbs coming to rest by her sides.

"This is a waste of both time and energy," she says lowly. "Why do you insist on fighting someone that does not wish to? If I truly wanted to fight, you’d likely go mad. Just stop and think of someone other than yourselves."

Sara spins around as Black★Star's hands come down, his weapon in her chain-scythe form, and manages to grab them and hold them back. Her eyes wander to the small blades, through which she meets Tsubaki's eyes.

"You understand, don't you?" Sara whispers. Black★Star snarls at the woman before attempting to force her back. She simply pushes off, coming to a standstill in the center of the group. "You know what it is like to lose someone close to you. Your meister does not because he has never had anyone like that to him."

"Do you ever stop talking?" the assassin sneers, a smirk drawn on his face. "Who cares about stuff like that anyway? If you care about someone that dies, you move on and live for them, not try to bring them back."

"You wouldn't understand," she sighs, shaking her head. "You never had anyone close to you. You do not know the meaning of loss." She turns swiftly, dodging a shot from Kid. "But you could understand, young Reaper. Remember when you thought Asura killed your father?" She continues to dodge, slowly getting closer to him. "The hatred and sadness you felt? It is a feeling similar to that." She grabs his wrists and forces his aim above her head, her face coming closer. "For you, I guess it would be like not having your precious symmetry."

"Just shut up!" Kid shouts, pressing down harder upon her. "Who are you to speak of perfection and balance?!"

"The best to speak of such," she says, smirking up at him. "Control and chaos are one and the same. Your father understood that 800 years ago, but he seems to have forgotten what happens when you try to tip the scale."

Sara suddenly thrusts up, knocking the young Reaper off his feet and causing him to let go of his weapons, allowing her to take hold of them. She looks from one to the other.

"I'm sure you understand, at least even a little." She gives a sad smile. "You two remind me of myself and my sister. Losing each other would be rather painful, would it not? What would it feel like, to not only lose each other, but your meister as well? I am sure that would be as close to what I feel as you could get."

The two guns glow as they are, once again, forced back into human form. Sara holds on to their hands for moment, her eyes meeting the elder sibling's with a knowing shine before crossing the younger's with kindness, before letting go and stepping back.

"I see," she mutters, closing her eyes and facing towards the sky, "that makes sense. The meisters don't understand because they don't have that kind of bond. The weapons each had someone to look up to or look after in their family. Being an only child, even if only in their minds, can turn children into such spoiled brats."

"What are you talking about?" Maka growls. "Soul doesn't --!"

"Did you really not know?" Sara interrupts the blonde, laughing. She looks at them. "I'm surprised! The Evans' family were quite famous musicians back in the day, something that has never faded through the generations. I hear that you are quite the pianist, Soul Eater."

"Shut up," the albino says, glad to be in his weapon form so no one could see him blushing. Cool guys didn't blush. "How'd you know that anyway?"

"Your soul told me who you were," she states bluntly. "Being as old as I am, you pick up on a few things. I got the chance to preform with your brother a while back. How is he by the way? Oh wait. You haven't spoken to him since joining the academy. Why? Afraid Maka will like him?"

The Halfling jolts back as the red and black blade takes a swipe at her. She laughs as Maka keeps swinging, but gasps suddenly as Black★Star lands a solid punch square on her back. She lands on her hands and knees, coughing a tiny bit of blood, insanity in the liquid spiking the air.

"That'll teach ya to forget about a big star like me," he says triumphantly with a smirk.

"Stop it!" Everyone freezes at the sound of Crona's usually soft voice coming out as a shout. The lilac haired boy rushes in next to the russette, kneeling by her side. "That's enough, you guys! She hasn't done anything wrong!"

"C-Crona," Maka stammers, lowering her weapon. Her friend looks up at her with eyes filled with betrayal. "How can you defend someone like her?"

"Because she defended me when no one else could!" Maka's chest begins to ache. The demon sword meister helps the older woman sit up as she wipes the insane blood from her lips. "Just because someone thinks or acts differently, you should treat them how you treat everyone else. You taught me that, Maka." He lightly grips the halfling's shoulder. "When you said that, it reminded me of something she used to tell me. Difference is something we all have in common. No one is exactly the same, but that's what makes everyone special, right?"

"But, Crona..." Maka blinks back the sadness, "she isn't like that anymore..."

"How would you know..." the Halfling snarls, grimacing. "You didn't know me then and you don't know me now. The world is made of many colors outside black and white." Slowly, she stands, the timid boy standing with her, clinging to her arm similarly to how he used to cling to Maka. "We're done here. Go do whatever it is _normal_ people do. I growntired of this shit." The two begin to walk away before her head turns back to the group. "Take a lesson from me and learn when you're beat."

Before anyone could say anything more, Sara and Crona were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author: Bet most of you didn't even know Soul had a sibling but he isn't someone I made up. Introducing the white haired blue eyed violinist, Wes Evans! *clapping sounds*  
> Wes: *takes a small bow*  
> Author: The reason he is never really mentioned much in either the anime or the manga is because someone *cough*Soul*cough* was scared that their friends would like him more since he was "cool".  
> Soul: *small blush* Sh-Shut up.  
> Sara: Aww ain't that cute. Someone's all up in denial!  
> Wes: There you go again with switching the tune.  
> Sara: Oh sorry! Want me to warn you next time I'm gonna act different? *sarcasm alert*  
> Wes: You wanna do this now? *pulls out violin*  
> Sara: *whips out cello* Bring it on, baby blue!  
> Soul: *in the corner of embarrassment*  
> Asura: *sigh* So this is how she keeps herself busy. She flirts with other men.  
> Sara: Hey! I'll have you know that my relations with Wes are strictly musical! And I don't just flirt with other men. I flirt with women, too.  
> Asura: *shakes head and sighs*
> 
> (Yes Sara plays the cello and Wes canonically plays violin)


	16. Classroom Suspense – Could This Day Get Any Worse?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fate has a funny way of doing whatever she pleases.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Stein

Green eyes flickered open on Monday morning. As she sat up, Maka let out a groan, glancing at the glowing neon numbers on her clock, 6:30. It was gonna be a long day. 

Against all reasoning and logic, Lord Death had allowed for the half-witch to apply for the DWMA as a student, which made the group weary of going to school the following morning. Though she did find some comfort in knowing that the Halfling was not allowed beyond school grounds without permission from the Reaper, Maka was still hesitant to let her guard down and trust that the older woman did in fact know what she was doing. She was still unsure of the Halfling's capabilities and to what extent she was able to control them.

At least she seemed to be able to control Asura to a point. The way they had interacted within her soul did, on some levels, show how closely they were connected in terms of likeness and compatibility. It was like as long as he remained formless, she had almost total control of him, or at least that's how it appeared. Her dream last night had been similar to previous ones, but the demon plaguing her seemed much more relaxed and maybe even a little awkward. His body language made it obvious to her that he was unsettled about something. Perhaps he was nervous about the possibility of coming back into the world. He even seemed like he was attempting to be almost friendly with her. There probably weren't too many people in Death City that had ever been in tune with madness. Maybe he was trying to make amends for the way he had acted back then?

Maka shook her head of such ludicrous thoughts and got dressed in her usual uniform before going towards Soul's room. Just as she was about to knock, the door was swung open and a very naked Blair was pushed out by a very flustered Soul. The magical cat turned back to the albino, the pout on her face and uncovered assets drawing a fresh spout of blood from the male's nose.

"Come on, Soul!" she whined, a slightly seductive purring tone to her voice. Maka gritted her teeth as they seemed oblivious to her presence. "Don't ya play with me?"

"Like Hell I do, you stupid cat!" he almost shouted angrily. He blinked as he noticed Maka's sour expression. His eyes twinkle with remembrance of what today held. "As uncool as school is, we've got a new student today and I'm pretty sure you want to keep an eye out incase she stirs up trouble, right Maka?"

The meister gave a firm nod before moving to the kitchen, a transformed Blair trailing at her heels. 

 

The pair left the apartment around 7:30 or so. After several weeks of begging from Kid a year or so back, Death had changed the arrival time for classes to 8 o'clock. To say the younger Reaper had been thrilled would have been an understatement.

As they ascended the steps, Maka caught sight of not only the other members of her group, but the auburn haired enigma as well. She wore the same pale pink shirt and faded blue sweats, but for once, she actually appeared to be wearing shoes on her feet, which would have been painful for her clawed toes had she been unable to shorten and round them of into normally long nails. From this distance, she appeared to be having a discussion with Kid and his weapons, or three separate conversations simultaneously.

"Come on, seriously?" the elder Thompson sister was spewing in disbelief. "So, wait, wait, wait, you're saying you're how old? How do you still look so young?"

"820 years as of two months ago," the Halfling chirped to the long haired 18 year old, a pleasant smile on her face. "As the old saying goes, true beauty does not age. But I'll let you in on a secret. Lack of excessive care keeps the body well refreshed and the mind sharp. Bathing four times a week rather than four times a day keeps protective natural oils in place so the world does not erode the skin." Liz made a sound of understanding as her meister frowned.

"You really shouldn't put lies in people's heads," he spat in contempt. Sara turned to him, her smile not leaving her features.

"I am not lying," she spoke. "The world has become too clean, to the point that a simple breeze can damage one's complexion." She stepped closer to him, coming about a foot from his face and, though it made him uncomfortable, he held fast. She smirked. "But of course, I would be lying if I said that were the only thing needed to gain near immortality." She bounced back a little, glancing at the younger sister with a bright smile. "You could say I, myself, am a reaper of sorts." The bi-hair colored male snorted in ridicule, obviously not believing. "Humans that have seen my work would agree."

"And what exactly was this _work_ you did, hmm?" Kid looked skeptical, though that did not deter her smile.

"In order for a life to continue beyond its expiration," she paused, taking a few steps further back, "new life must be given." She paused and put her hands in a defensive manner. "Now before you get the wrong idea," she continued hastily, "I never stole life that was not already fading. Though I dealt more with animals than humans, as they are easier to understand what is happening."

"So, like mercy killing or something?" Liz pipes up again. Sara nods as Kid crosses his arms. 

"I do not take more than I am able." She takes a few more steps back and bends, propping herself into a handstand that rested her weight on one clawed appendage. "Souls have a certain range of energy after their bodies expire. They require an amount of this energy to be able to cross to the next realm of existence, else they become trapped in this one as spirits until they are consumed completely. I absorb the excess life, leaving the soul enough to pass on. Get it?"

With a burst of strength, the Halfling thrusts herself up and into a standing position as Maka and Soul came up the last step. She gives a smile and a small bow as the younger Thompson sister claps. The scythe meister grimaces. Before she can say anything, however, a distressed looking Tsubaki came running out of the building.

"Has anyone seen Black★Star?" she questioned. "I can't find him anywhere."

"He appears to be on the roof," Sara says calmly, pointing to a blue spec on said roof. The assassin-in-training seemed to be shouting loudly as he danced atop the cone shaped structure. Kid began to freak out, worrying about the symmetry of the school. "I could retrieve him, if you'd like."

Before anyone could object, there was a loud sound as she pushed herself off the ground and onto the walls of the building, looking like a blur as she traversed the height. There was then sounds of a quick squabble before Black★Star was thrown off the building, the same wolf from the day prior appearing under him. It landed, unsteadily due to the extra weight upon its back, with a heavy thud as the Halfling came lightly to the ground. The wolf then glowed and transformed into its meister's hand as a dagger, once again being sheathed along her back.

"Wow," the cheeky boy says, rubbing the back of his head, "I would say you hit like a girl, but I don't think even Maka can hit that hard. Hahaha!"

This gets him a swift blow to the head from said girl. The russet haired woman chuckles before turning towards the school. She smiles brightly as Crona comes out, a soft smile of his own showing. 

"First day of school, here I come!" she chirps, skipping over to the demon sword meister as the rest of the group just shrugs and/or sighs.

 

They all just hoped she wouldn't be in their class.

 

~•~•~

 

Whatever force drove the universe was obviously against them.

"Okay, class," the stitched professor starts stalely, "I'd like you all to welcome our new student, Sara." The Halfling smiles when he speaks her name correctly. "Now, from what I've been told, this is your first day at school ever, right?" She nods affirmatively. "Why don't you go sit there by Crona?" She begins moving up the stairs before pausing. Stein gives a lazy smirk. "Your soul is quite fuzzy, makes me quite curious to know what you're hiding."

"Curiosity killed the cat, Professor," she delivers smoothly. "I do not believe you would be wise to dig into it."

"Ah, well," he begins turning his screw, "now you've only added to my curiosity. Why don't you come back down here and show us what you're capable of. I'm sure we'd all like to know."

"No," she replies slowly, turning hear head to face him, "I don't think you would. You wouldn't like what you'd find."

"Come now, I insist." Sara lets an insane smirk spill onto her lips. She slowly begins descending the steps again, coming to stand a few feet from the ashen haired man.

”Very well. I did warn you," she speaks softly as her claws slowly lengthen and sharpen. "Just keep that in mind. I'm not so keen on holding back."

She suddenly lunges forward, her palm colliding with his arm, energy sparking between them. Maka watches intently as the professor attempts to match the Halfling's soul, but he seemed to be having difficulty doing so. Sara jumps back after a moment, clawed hands sparking with magenta and golden green energy, a dull smirk on her lips.

"Your soul is quite remarkable, Professor," she remarks as the pale yellow-green bolts are consumed to match her own before fading. "Just what I'd expect of a three star meister."

"You make it sound as if you've met a lot," he speaks, drawling a breath of his cigarette.

"Seen, yes. Met, not so much," she shrugs. "Now if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to take my seat."

"I'm sensing another soul on your person," he says as she turns away. "Care to share who you've brought with you?"

"I'd rather not, seeing as you‘ve already gotten me to humor your intrigue," she hisses before taking a seat next to Crona. Though he didn't show it, the stitched professor found it rather intriguing how the Demon Sword meister seemed to relax rather than flinch away from the new student. In fact, it seemed almost like he was leaning towards her. 

"Well, today, class," he starts, shaking his head for a moment, "I am disappointed to announce that there will be no dissection labs." There was a collective sigh of relief amongst the students. "Instead, we shall be fine-tuning our soul wavelengths with our partners."

Sara sat silently as other students move to different parts of the room, keeping a close watch of the professor. His eyes flicker to the new girl, motioning for her to follow him as begins to roll out of the classroom. She lets out a sigh and rubs Crona's shoulder before doing so.

This was bound to be interesting.


	17. Mind Games – Fancy a Match, My Dear?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing is as it would seem.

Maka watched as Stein left the room with the Halfling in tow, wondering what was going to happen. She quickly wiped those thoughts from her mind and continued her work.

Meanwhile, many thoughts ran rapid through the Professor's mind. Just who was this girl and how was she able to mask her soul in such a way as to hide it nearly completely? If she carried her weapon with her, how could she, as a meister, manipulate herself like a weapon? Just what was she?

He paused in his journey at the soft chuckling behind him. He turns to look at the girl, a smirk drawn across her lips. He frowns.

"I was just wondering, Professor," she began in a low tone. His gaze narrows. "When did you those scars?"

"Hm?" He blinks, not really understanding why she asked. What was she playing at? "Let me think... It had to be about 25 years ago, I believe." The russette lets out a soft huff of a giggle. He raised an eyebrow.

"It couldn't have been that long ago," she says, her grin growing. "I would have remembered them."

Stein sat frozen, his cigarette falling from his lips to the floor. Remembered? What could she possibly mean by that? He watched wide-eyed as her soul began to change in front of him, reshaping itself. In a rush of speed, he lunged towards her, his large hand wrapping around her slender throat as he pinned her to the wall. She let out a howl of crazed laughter, but did not move to free herself from his grasp. He recognized it now, that glint in her mismatched eyes. He had seen it before.

"It was you that night," he spoke with a slight anger to his voice. "In that ghost town with the Demon Sword."

"You are as quick as I suspected," she replied in a teasing tone. His grip on her neck tightened lightly as he rose her to eye-level, her toes no longer gracing the stone floor. "It's nice to know that I was not completely forgotten."

"Why are you here," he seethed. "What are you after."

"Nothing that has not already been provided for me." His fingers began to burn as her soul began to reform, the energy pulsing into his palm as he took on her wavelength. He released his grasp, allowing her to fall gracefully to the floor. He strode back to his rolling chair, taking a seat and lighting another smoke as the girl dusted herself off and her face grew serious. "I am not the enemy this time, Stein. As a servant of Death, we share a common evil."

"Explain." She grew a smile. 

"Gladly."

~•~•~

Sara lay silent against the rough surface of the cot of her cell room, her sharpened fingers twirling delicately about the glowing stone that hung round her throat. Her lupin partner rested upon the base of the bed, stretched out across her feet lazily.

_When are going to make your move, Serpent? You can't hide forever._

"Bane." The massive canine's ears perked towards the sound of his master's voice. "Leave Us."

Without question, the great wolf stood and proceeded to slip through the barred window in weapon form then back to wolf, disappearing into the night. The auburn haired woman rose from her position to sit cross-legged upon the mat. Her eyes slid shut as her hands formed a sort of circle round the crimson jewel upon her neck.

" _Inde animorum impetus excitetur animae._ "

Upon utterance of these words, the crystal flashed brightly, a sphere of red burst rapidly from its core to consume the room, throwing her hair out as if by an explosion of wind, leaving it to float gently in the air. The room became alight with a dark, gleaming red glow, seeming to expand much larger than possible; the walls disappeared, as did the ceiling and furniture, the floor becoming a dark wet substance.

Sara stood from where the surface of the bed had been and opened her eyes. A pleasant look made its way upon her face as her Kishin lover emerged to greet her.

"Not what I expected to occur with that little stunt you pulled," he spoke with a lopsided grin, one of his many scarves reaching out to brush against her face. "You really should be more careful around men like him."

"Oh?" She quirked an eyebrow. "You mean men you?"

The two let out a burst of laughter, if only to prove the point of her reply. Asura came closer as his scarf pulled back, coming to rest under him as a sort of seat. From the ground before him emerged a simple square plate, equally simple figures finding their spots on checkered tiles. Sara gave a small smile and sat on a semi-solid lump that had formed beneath her.

"Shall I go first, or do you want to this time?" she asks as the board begins to spin.

"By all means, my lady," he says with mock politeness and a wave of his hand. The board stops as chess pieces manifest themselves in the appropriate shades. She moves the Knight. He moves a Pawn. "So how are things going now that the professor knows?"

"Not much different actually," she replies, moving a Pawn as well. "Though he mostly just has me answer questions about things from the past."

"Does he know about...?" Another Pawn.

"Us? No, but he is probably speculating something along the lines." The Knight again, capture the Pawn.

Asura snatches the falling piece with one of his scarves, toying with it as he moves another. "Starting pretty early this time."

"I'm bored," she drawls, a drab look upon her face. "The classes are boring, the students are boring, even that girl has become dull." The Bishop is put into play. "Death won't let me leave the city and all that brother of yours wants to do is make sure that it's so. I desperately need to get back to work. I'm a wolf, not some dog to be locked in a cage."

Asura gives a deep chuckle. "Perhaps, but that doesn't mean they won't try." He moves another pawn. "It's in their nature after all, to make order of chaos. You knew that the moment you decided to work with them. Which reminds me," he looks up at her seriously, "why did you choose to work with my Father?"

"Why?" Sara lets out a sigh, placing her hands in her lap. "I was tired of waiting I suppose. The souls count rate has been declining rapidly since the Academy made a full recovery. I figured this way it would be easier. I am limited, you know."

The Kishin let out a huff of laughter. "So it would seem." A few more pieces were moved about before he spoke again. "You should ask for a mission, as I believe I heard Maka call them."

"Of course, they will insist I am accompanied." Her claws wrapped around her Queen as she lifted it. Asura frowned. "Checkmate again, love."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Inde animorum impetus excitetur animae" means "Evoke the soul" or call forth, allowing the opening and entering of the soul. Basically, Sara entered a state similar to Tsubaki when she fought Masamune.


	18. Two of a Kind – How Much Trouble Could One Mission Be?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunt begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **MAJOR WARNING**
> 
> This chapter includes vivid depictions of mutilated bodies, excessive amounts of gore, body horror, and vomiting. Please tread lightly if you have a weak stomach. 
> 
> Special thanks to Maka Thorpe ( https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4876478/ ) for the fight scenes in this chapter.

Surprisingly, Death took her suggestion of a mission much better than anticipated. Though, of course, she wouldn't be taking what usual one star meisters would take, having been around for so long.

That being said, she would be escorted by another meister and weapon pair, to keep her "on track" as he put it. But why, oh why did she have the wretched fortune to be paired with these two?

"You better not try anything," the blonde says over the roar of her partner's motorbike. Sara rolls her eyes in annoyance. 

"You do realize I am literally centuries older than you," she retorted, gripping tightly to her wolf's fur. "Don't get all high and mighty off treating me like a child."

Maka turned to counter, but noticed that the Halfling was no longer beside them.

"Soul!" she yelled, tugging at his jacket. The albino made to stop his vehicle before she would do something brash. The scythe meister hopped off the bike as soon as it stopped, running back the way they came. She spotted the elder about a dozen meters back, crouched to the ground. A dark red substance caught the younger's eye. 

"You should learn to rely on your other senses when hunting an Egg," Sara drawls, lifting her now blood covered fingers to face, inhaling the fresh scent of panic and fear. "It is easy to overlook something so obscure." She rises to her feet before showing her hand to her wolf. It sniffs at the crimson liquid. "Bane." It looks to its master. "Fetch."

There's a flash of light, Maka shields her face. When she peeks out again, the wolf is no longer there. Instead, there stands a nearly seven foot creature with features both similar and dissimilar to the canine.  
Silver fur covered its lean form, a darker patch upon its head like hair. It stood on its hind legs, its forearms extended into clawed hands. It – he, she assumed – wore a loose fit pair of dull pants, similar to the Halfling's own. 

Before Maka can say anything, the creature launches itself on to the rooftops and out of sight. She gives the woman a quizzical look. 

"He will signal when he's traced the scent," said woman responds nonchalantly. "Shouldn't be more than a few minutes."

"How was it able to do that?" she asks as soon as she's able to remember how to speak. "How– it– what–?"

"As amusing as I'm finding you right now," the woman teased softly, “you should be more focused on finding traces of the Kishin Egg’s soul, or have you not honed your skills to that extent?”

Maka sputtered, insulted, but reached out with her senses regardless. While it was difficult to focus on specific souls, given how much Sara’s wavelength seemed to muddy up her vision, she was able to locate the soul of the Halfling’s weapon partner. It was a strange mix of a soul, one that reminded her of the Immortal Wolfman. Following the soul was easy enough once she’d locked in to it. She watched as it gave pause before a howl rang in her ears. She quickly covered them, trying to block out the sound to retain focus, but she’d lost it. She opened her eyes again, noting that both Soul and Sara were glancing in the direction the sound had come from.

“Well then,” the Halfling says, clapping her hands once, “seems he’s found the end of the trail.” She turns to Maka, with a grin. “Well come along now, we’ve not got all night.”

The blonde meister watched in slight confusion as the woman seemed to skip almost gleefully towards the sound of her partner. Maka glanced over at her own partner who simply shrugged and began to follow. Begrudgingly, she sighed and fell into step with him.

When they caught up with their charge, the first thing they noticed was the smell. It stank awfully of blood and early decay, though the Halfling seemed unbothered by it. Maka surveyed the area, noting several puddles of blood and bits of what appeared to be...

She quickly turned away, covering her mouth in attempt to prevent her urge to vomit. On the ground were what looked like chunks of flesh and bone. A wave of dizziness washed over her.

“Geez,” came the voice of her weapon partner. It gave her some comfort to know she was not the only one disgusted by the sight. “What the hell happened?”

“From what I have deduced,” the Halfling began, still seeming unbothered, “the Egg, or Eggs if I am not mistaken, have recently fed on a fresh pair of souls. What we see here is the remnants of their meal.”

Maka’s stomach lurched and promptly emptied itself on the pavement. How embarrassing. Once it stopped, she moved to wipe her face with her sleeve, only to be stopped by a clawed hand. The young meister looked up at the Halfling and noticed an offered bit of cloth. She stared at the older woman questioningly, but accepted the rag, cleaning her face of her former meal.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of,” the Halfling said reassuringly. “It’s not a pleasant thing to come across. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve had my fair share of ruined appetites early on.”

Maka spared a glance back at the ruined hunks of flesh. What was left did not even register as human, too far gone were the matted bits of hair that clung to sections of scalp and body to be recognizable. What had the Eggs done to these people? They’d only need the souls to gain more power, why would they mutilate the bodies? Had they perhaps been..... _toying_ with their victims? The meister quivered with dread. 

“Regardless,” comes the elder’s voice, “they are no longer here. How troubling.” She stands, making her way over to the largest pile of meat. “At the very least, this is recent, so they shan’t be far. Perhaps a dozen or so miles at most.”

“You can tell all that just by looking at the mess they felt behind?” Soul says bewilderedly.

“Not particularly,” the Halfling answers with a shake of her head, “but given the depth of the wound here and the angle of the blow there, we are likely dealing with a cooperative pair of Eggs. One is large and likely bulking, thus would not be able to move as easily or rapidly as their smaller counterpart.” She points to various marks on the bodies as she speaks. Maka can’t help but be slightly in awe of the woman’s observational skills. 

“Th-that would make sense, I suppose,” the blonde manages softly, still unnerved by the whole situation. Whatever sort of mission this was supposed to be, it was clear to her now that had she and Soul come alone, they likely would have come up with nothing.

“Hmm, what to do, what to do...” the Halfling began muttering to herself. “Such a waste... Could be useful perhaps...?”

Maka tuned the woman out as she got to her feet, not keen on finding out where she was going with her thoughts. Just what the Hell kind of mission was this? Sure, it wasn’t uncommon for young meisters to come across a fresh body or two while chasing a Kishin Egg, but she’d never seen or heard of anything quite as unsettling as this. Kishin Eggs working together? Just what the Hell were they dealing with...

It isn’t until Maka finishes her thought before she notices the silence that suddenly fell. She glances towards the older female only to find her completely and utterly motionless; she didn’t even appear to be breathing with how unnaturally still she was. The Halfling’s eyes were focused on something in the distance, something the scythe meister herself could not see. 

Not a moment later, in a blur of motion, her blade is out, just in time to block a heavy blow from an unknown assailant. The resounding _CRACK!_ of the pavement below that echoes through the empty streets snaps Maka back to attention as she reaches for her own weapon who quickly transforms into her hands. Not a moment too soon, it would seem, as she brings Soul up in a defensive manner only for him to be struck with a powerful weight. 

Maka’s face wrinkles in disgust. Before her is a massive bulk of flesh and bone, pulsating and oozing a grimy red fluid that she could only assume had once been blood. The thing smelled absolutely repulsive, even more so than the forgotten remains laying close by. A single drooping eye stares back at her with an insatiable hunger.

“ _Ahehe_ , so the Reaper finally sent Us a little snack, eh?” comes a scraggly voice from behind her. Without looking back, she already knows it’s the other Egg speaking. “It’s about bloody time if ya ask me.”

“Well no one was asking you,” the Halfling’s voice answers, strong and steady. “You’ve made quite a mess of your previous meal and I’ll have no part in continuing such a messy eating habit.”

 _Is she... is she seriously making jokes right now?_ Maka chanced a confused glance back at Sara. The woman stood firmly, holding her weapon partner in a similar fashion to the blonde. 

“Now that’s rather insulting,” the Egg replies. “Wouldn’t you agree, Philip?”

The hulking mass on Maka’s side lets out a gurgling rumble, the putrid smell of viscera and decay spilling from its lopsided maw. The blonde resists the urge to dry heave.

“Maka, Soul,” Sara’s voice draws the meister’s attention. “Think you can handle that one on your own?” Maka gives a sound of confirmation. “Set your sights on the eye. Its hearing is poor so blinding it will give you a greater advantage.”

As the Halfling finishes speaking, a burst of her soul’s wavelength flares out, pushing the two Eggs back a few steps. Maka immediately jumps into action, lunging towards the lumbering beast ahead of her. Its large, club like hand comes up to take a swing at her, which she is able to dodge but only slightly. She raises her partner, slicing along its body. It roars in rage, slamming its fists upon the ground, forcing the meister back. Her back meets the brick wall behind her with a sharp _thwack!_ , the impact causing the surface to creak and crumble slightly.

 _That’s definitely gonna bruise..._ she groans, wincing at the pain already blossoming over her body, now covered in brick dust. 

“ _You alright, Maka?_ ” comes Soul’s voice laced with concern as his face appears within his blade. The blonde regains her footing and and dusts herself off a bit.

“I’m fine, Soul,” she reassures him. “This Kishin Egg is strong, but it’s pretty slow. Let’s make this quick.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” the albino responds, signature shit-eating spreading across his face. “It’s no useless playing with food.”

Maka nodded, glaring confidently at the hideous creature, green eyes glowing with a raging fire. Bracing her stance, she launched herself in the air, the dust from the wall providing a brief distraction and confusing the Egg just long enough for her next attack. With the glint of the moonlight reflecting the steady and graceful movement of the scythe’s blade, the meister makes a wide swing with all her might as she falls towards the beast, aiming for its eye as Sara had suggested. 

Before the hellish thing could realize what was happening, she drove the blade deep into its eye, ripping backwards as its hand shot out to grab at where she had just been as it roared in agony. With trained reflexes, she maneuvers out of the way, landing a heavy kick to its gnarled hand to propel herself back further out of its reach, ensuring a safe landing. 

The scythe meister landed with a skid, causing dirt and rubble to fly as her boots scraped across the ground. Upon doing so, she bends her knees, preparing to launch herself back at the massive Egg to deliver the final blow. 

The bulking mass of flesh that served as its attack hand flailed about wildly, hoping to strike the meister down before it was too late. It misses, of course. As Soul’s blade rips into the flesh of its torso, it stumbles back as its body begins to destabilize. For a brief moment, it stands still before bursting apart in masses of viscera and bone, its sludgified insides spraying all over the place. Maka quickly covers her face to avoid getting splashed. When she peeks again, the red glow of its soul, along with the mess, is all that greets her. She lets out a sigh of relief. 

Hearing a cry of pain from behind her, Maka turns to see if the Halfling needed any help, only to be quite horrified by what she saw. 

The Egg Sara has been fighting lay beaten and bloody on the ground, groaning and whimpering in pain. The woman stood above it, a crazed grin splitting wide across her face as she pressed a foot to its skull, her weapon laid fairly unused in hand. 

“I must say that was quite entertaining,” the Halfling chuckles, applying pressure on and off to her leg as the Egg continues to whimper. “You are quick, I’ll admit, but not quick enough. You should be honored to have fought me and lasted so long. Not many have had such a chance.”

“P-please...” it rasps in agony, “h-have m-mercy...”

“Mercy?” Sara laughs. “You expect mercy for the things you have done? Do you take me for a fool?” She lowers herself to come closer to its face, the sadistic grin never leaving her face. “You knew the consequences for your actions. You accepted the risks when you consumed the lives of others. Now you must pay the price for your misdeeds.”

The blonde meister could only watch on in horror as the Halfling stood straight, putting more of her weight on the Egg’s head as it screamed and cried and wailed until...

_CRACK! SQUISH!_

The Egg’s skull split open with a wet sound, blackened goo and brain matter splattering about. Had Maka anything left in her stomach, it surely would have protested the sight. It was then that she came to a horrifying conclusion. She hadn’t been sent on this mission to help Sara stay on track. She’d been sent to observe what she was capable of. 

And the thought of what else this woman could do terrified her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, yes she did just crush a skull with her bare foot. This is a reminder that Sara is not by any means a good person. She is sadistic and does not hesitate to take a life if she deems it necessary. Do not think that just because she’s joined the DWMA that she has changed her ways.


	19. Revelations and Relizations – A Step in the Right Direction?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uncertainty rears its ugly head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooray for moral ambiguity.

After the first mission with the Halfling, Maka was quite sure that Lord Death had made a mistake in trusting the woman. As powerful as she was, she was still highly unpredictable and rather... violent.

As part of the agreement the two elder beings had made, Sara was allowed access to forfeited souls in exchange for information regarding Medusa. It really shouldn’t have been such a shock to learn that the two had a long, long history together. Soul had joked at one point that maybe they had been an item, which got him a laugh and high five from Black★Star. Kid had even joined in, saying given the Halfling’s tastes, it would make perfect sense.

All three of them had ended up on the wrong end of some rather nasty pranks by the end of the week.

Given how little they actually knew about Sara, Maka couldn’t write it off that the two possibly had more... intimate ties than that of mentor and pupil. In the short time that Medusa had infiltrated the school disguised as a nurse, nearly everyone at some point or another fell for her false charm to some degree. Perhaps it wasn’t out of the question that the Halfling had fallen under that very same spell at one point.

Luckily for the scythe meister, she hadn’t been paired with the woman and her wolf since that first mission, even though it had been weeks since the rather traumatic encounter. Surprisingly, she had been paired with Black★Star and Tsubaki more often than anyone else in their group. Perhaps it was due to the fact that they both had that sort of never-back-down attitude. That or Maka was just overanalyzing things again.

“And then I said, if you ain’t selling, what the hell am I buying?”

Then again, maybe not.

For all her ‘no nonsense’ attitude, the Halfling absolutely loved telling jokes and stories about “the good old days”, as if to say that being a half-witch in a world where witches were hunted down and slaughtered was a walk in the park. Most of the group seemed to be warming up to her, enough that she even frequented sharing her spare time with them. Well, all except her and Kid, that is.

Maka could very well list a plethora of reasons Sara made her uncomfortable, but being that she didn’t trust the woman was at the top of the list. After all, it had been nearly two months since the Halfling has been allowed to join the DWMA and still they were no closer to finding Medusa than before.

Kid, on the other hand, seemed more apprehensive to even so much as speak to Sara unless absolutely necessary. Maybe he was still in denial about Asura being his brother and that this person had been so connected to him that she had literally managed to trick her way into holding onto the Kishin’s soul even after he had been defeated. Perhaps he was unnerved that his father had kept yet another vital detail of his life a secret. Or maybe he just didn’t like having to make eye contact with the Halfling. He was wary, of that she was certain.

Maka continued having occasional nightly encounters with Asura, though he seemed much more relaxed than before. Whenever she decided to converse with him, he excitedly chattered away about whatever topic she chose. He was so enthusiastic about everything that sometimes it was hard to remember that this individual had almost plunged the entire world into chaos and madness.

Once she had made the mistake of asking how the two of them met and how they had become so close. His smile deteriorated rather quickly as he slowly recounted how she had been the only survivor of a village of witches that he had set ablaze, how she had, at first, looked so terrified and fragile; how she managed to escape his attacks and run for three days and three nights until finally resigning herself to her fate.

“Why didn’t you kill her?” Maka had asked before she could stop herself. Asura had stared at her for a good long moment before a smile, a real, genuine smile, crossed his face and he shook his head.

“Honestly? I think it was because I admired her.” The former Reaper leaned back, putting his hands behind his head. “Here was this little creature before me that had used all her strength to run from me, yet when the time came that she could run no further, all her fear simply... vanished. I guess I liked that. She knew who I was, in a sense, and what I was capable of, yet she did not fear me.”

He continued to recount the many times thereafter that they had run into each other, how they had bonded over their like minded view of the world, how the Halfling had helped him stabilize for a time.

He didn’t talk about how he had thrown it all away in his lust for power, but Maka could tell he regretted it to an extent. Maybe not for the lives he had taken, but for the years he had spent in isolation locked below a towering city, for the centuries he had taken from Sara by acting so selfishly.

~•~•~•~•~

Death the Kid was not a complicated individual. Particular, sure. Petty, certainly, but not complicated. He saw the world in black and white, very rarely in shades of gray. He had been that way all his life.

But as time drew on, he began to doubt his worldview. It started when he met his weapon partners for the first time. The Thompson sisters were infamous in their home city for causing mayhem and mischief, but with his guiding hand they had grown into respectable young women that fought against the evil they had once been a part of.

The most notable instance of his disillusionment was when he discovered his father’s ties to the great Eibon. The ancient sorcerer had done many heinous things in his time, dedicating his life’s work to achieving immortality. Such a thing was surely considered evil, no? Yet his father had been close to Eibon, going so far as to aid in the construction of his many Magic Tools. Would that not qualify his father as evil as well? And still, his father ruled over what was right and wrong.

Then there was the case of the Halfling and the Kishin. The two of them were surely evil, right? And yet Sara had shown no ill-will towards him or any of the other students regardless of what they had done. In fact, she seemed quite understanding of his thoughts and ideals, thus made little effort to argue or change them. Though her desire for Asura’s rebirth clouded her judgement, she remained an obedient servant of Death and followed his rules to the letter. Rather than doing things the way she had been, she chose to align herself with the DWMA in an effort to mend her status as someone that could be seen as trustworthy and good. It was almost admirable in Kid’s mind. Almost.

“Hey.” Speak of the devil. He turns to glare at the half-witch.

“What do you want,” he demands bluntly. He debates with himself whether or not he should set his book down.

“Mind if I join you?” She looks almost hopeful. He stays silent for a moment before scooting to the side of the bench. She takes a seat, smiling at him. He decides to ignore her and goes back to reading, though with her being so close, it was nearly impossible for him to start up again.

“Why are you here,” he says with a hint of annoyance. Her smile just widens.

“Why are any of us here?” Of course she would say something like that. Kid sighs in irritation, closing his book and setting it aside.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“Of course, of course,” she says dismissively. They sit in silence for a few moments before she speaks again. “Honestly, I came to apologize.”

The young Reaper nearly does a double take. Apologize? What on earth did she feel she had to apologize for?

“I know you don’t trust me, and I can’t blame you for that.” She pulls her legs up onto the bench. “A strange crazy lady coming along claiming to know more about your family than you do; I wouldn’t trust me either.”

He stays quiet, observing her. She wasn’t wrong about her assumption, but it was more than that. She had known his father, personally, in the time before the academy had even been a passing thought. Had she known his followers? Did she learn to control the Madness that raged through her bloodstream through them? Had she been close with them?

“Don’t go thinking too hard,” she says with a soft chuckle. “I can almost hear those gears turning.” He’s definitely blushing. Another chuckle from the Halfling. She rearranges her posture, her legs dangling off the bench as her face grows more serious. “Look, I don’t expect us to be friends; Hell, I don’t even expect you to like me, but you should know that I am not your adversary. I understand that things I have done in the past are questionable at best and I’m trying to make up for my misdeeds. Whether you agree on my getting a second chance or not is irrelevant.” She stands, turning to face the young Reaper. “And whether you like it or not, I consider you my family now and I do not aim to do wrong by my family.”

There’s silence between them for a moment before Kid realizes the Halfling is waiting for a response. But what is he supposed to say to something like that? Thank you? I believe you? So many possibilities to choose from, not a single one that feels right.

Sara gives a soft huff of a laugh. “There you go, overthinking things again. Asura used to make the same face when he was uncertain or confused.”

“Oh,” is the only thing he can manage to say. “That’s... interesting.”

“I assume it’s a inherited quirk, though I have no way of confirming that hypothesis since your father always wears a mask. Oh, and in case you were curious, yes he has always worn a mask.”

“Huh. Well, I suppose there is something new to learn every day.” The young Reaper fidgets for a moment. He’s about to speak more before the silver wolf that is Sara’s weapon appears by her side. Kid stares at the canine while it gazes right back. The Halfling kneels down, stroking its fur gently while murmuring something to it. After some time, it nods and runs off again. Kid keeps quiet as Sara stands.  
“What was that about?”

“The Frog has been located,” she states seriously.

Frog... frog... oh! The Frog witch! The one that had been allied with Medusa when Asura had first been reawakened...

“Oh... I see.” The young Reaper stands, picking up his forgotten book. “I assume you wish to be the one to find her?”

The Halfling gives pause for a moment. “It is risky. The Snake has burrowed deep within her body and is still likely able to see through her. It would be unwise for her to know of my involvement just yet.” She hums thoughtfully, face contorted in concentration. “I’ll likely need a surrogate speaker to gain the knowledge we seek, which in and of itself is tricky, since I am incapable of simply possessing a vessel as the Snake does.” She begins pacing back and forth in front of the bench. “I suppose I could create a spell or device to remotely relay information in real-time for questioning, or would simply be easier to dispel the remaining serpents from her physical form...”

“How long would something like that take?” Kid pipes up, giving the Halfling pause in her thoughts and movements.

“Huh. Well, I have done something similar in the past in a more... desperate situation.” She gains a look of what might be regret on her face. What could she have had to remove magic from before in a worse situation–? Oh. Right. She used to be in a similar predicament, hadn’t she.

It was sometimes easier to forget that this woman had been just as much a pawn in the wicked witch’s schemes as any of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I moving too fast? I feel like I’m moving too fast. I mean Sara joined the DWMA like 4 chapters ago so....
> 
> Eh it’s probably fine. 
> 
> Challenge: What kind of relationship did Sara have with Medusa?


	20. Places Please – How Much Longer will this Go On?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All things have reason.  
> Even if it happens to be treason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying a different approach for this chapter. Moving away from Sara focused story telling in the first half.

Eruka was by no means a bad person, or even a bad witch for that matter. Still, her ties to Medusa had other witches avoid her like the plague. Except the Minzune sisters of course, she could always count on them to be there when she needed someone to depend on. And she always had Free, not that his situation was any better than hers. The immortal wolfman probably had it much worse, considering his crimes against the Grand Witch. 

So imagine her surprise when she comes face to face with a familiar that hadn’t been seen in years: a glowing white wolf. Sure, it had been rumored that the child of Lunaria was still around after sustaining massive damage following a confrontation with the Snake witch, but to see one of her familiars in the flesh(?) was something else entirely. She had no doubt in her mind that Medusa found it surprising as well, if the witch was still able to see through her eyes. She doubted the Snake was truly dead. 

No words were exchanged; Sara’s familiars were known for there silence and stoic demeanor. And just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished. Free, who had been enjoying a meal of noodles and chicken, sat there staring in awe at the spot that the wolf had been. After a moment, he cleared his throat.

“So, uh,” he started, “any idea what that was?”

Eruka lets out a heavy sigh, “That was another witch’s familiar.”

“Seriously?!” He sounded quite excited. “There are witches that have wolf ties?!”

“Not so loud!” She looks around cautiously before sighing again. “Yes, most witches have connections to specific animals. Like how my magic and familiars are frog based.”

“Huh,” he hums thoughtfully. “I always thought it was like a personal preference or something.”

Eruka gives a quiet laugh. “Witches typically inherit their magic from their mothers or grandmothers, sometimes even further up the line. Of course, there are notable exceptions, but that’s the standard way things go.”

There’s more silence between them as they finish up their meals. The fact that Sara was alive didn’t surprise her all that much. The half-witch _had_ outlasted many lineages of witches, so why wouldn’t she be capable of holding her own against a witch of the same time. Though, it was rather odd for her to pop up again now. Oh well. It was probably nothing to worry about. 

~•~•~•~•~

A small explosion echos up through the Academy, startling many of the students and staff. Some of them paid it no mind, going about business as usual. Other students feared it might be an attack, but were quickly calmed down by other meisters and teachers.

Sara slams her fist down on her work table. “Damn it! Damn it damn it damn it!” She pushes everything off the table’s surface, broken glass shattering, metal tools clanging noisily to the floor. “What am I doing wrong?!”

 _You’re rushing yourself_ , Asura whispers to her, soothing her temper. _Perhaps a small break would be in your best interest._

The Halfling lets out a sigh, collapsing on a nearby stone pile. “You know well why I can’t stop. I’m so close to a breakthrough and if I stop now I – !”

 _Shhhhh_ , he hushes her gently, running his wavelength over hers. _You’re doing great, there’s no need to get so worked up._

“But every moment I waste resting is another opportunity for the Snake to gain more power.” She strokes the crystal hanging around her neck. “I already have suspicions of her whereabouts, but as long as her familiars remain within the Frog our chances of truly eliminating her remain slim.”

 _And you are certain that she carries them?_ His tone is only slightly skeptical.

“Of course I am!” she says exasperatedly. “That’s why I had Kris confirm my suspicions when I sent her out. The Frog is with the wolfman, someone the Snake considers a valuable asset given his immortality and the magic eye he stole. From what I remember, he was very good at using it, even early on. Ice magic if I recall correctly.”

The sound of hurried footsteps causes the Halfling to pause her musings. No doubt her failure had drawn the attention of several individuals. She groans as she gets to her feet, dusting debris off her clothes and begins picking up her tools and the ruined bottles and flasks. As expected, the lineup that came to investigate were Maka, Soul, Kid, Stein and both his current and previous weapon partners, Spirit Albarn and Marie Mjolnir. Then came the barrage of questions.

“What happened?” Maka, Kid, Stein. 

“Are you hurt?” Marie, Soul, Spirit. 

“What are/were you doing/thinking?” Pretty much everyone. 

“Would you all just SHUT UP FOR LIKE TWO SECONDS?!” the Halfling blurts out, effectively silencing everyone in the room. Sara lets out a heavy sigh, rubbing her temples in mild frustration. “Look, I get that you all are concerned, but running in here all up in arms and shouting at me and over each other won’t get you any answers and will more than likely just make things worse. Now, if you’d like to ask questions, why don’t we act like civilized beings and take turns.”

“That sounds decently reasonable,” Stein remarks, pulling out a fresh smoke and lighting it up. Sara wrinkles her nose in disgust, but says nothing about it. “Which project were you working on?”

“The nullification wavelength,” she answers, crossing her arms. “Obviously, eliminating all possibilities of the Snake being capable of escaping and resurrecting herself again takes top priority.” The grey haired professor gives a simple nod, clearly satisfied with her answer.

“And why should we believe that?” Maka pipes up. Sara rolls her eyes. Of all the people present, Maka was definitely still the most wary of her.

“Do you see any souls or soul fragments here?” She gestures vaguely to her work space. “If I were working on my resurrection spell, there’d be at least a few here, but as you can see, there are none.”

“You could be hiding them!” the young blonde accuses. “We know you can do that!”

“Maka, please,” Marie interjects. The Death Scythe weapon turns her attention back to the Halfling. “Are you alright? You’re no hurt, are you?”

Sara shakes her head. “The only thing bruised is my ego, which probably needed to be knocked down a few pegs all things considered.”

 _Liar_ , Asura butts in. The auburn haired woman has to bite her tongue to keep from laughing.

“Wait a moment, didn’t Medusa get Crona to implant one of her snakes into you before, Marie?” Kid speaks up, drawing everyone’s attention. They look between Marie, then Kid, and finally Sara. The Halfling looks visibly unnerved, her Madness seeping into the air as she shakes in a violent rage. Kid immediately regrets opening his mouth.

“She. Did. What.” The few pieces of glassware that remain intact shatter, bits scattering across the table and floor. The group, aside from Stein and Kid, take a collective step back. “Bane.” The silver wolf steps from the shadows, shaking itself free of its sleep. “Bring.”

The wolf springs into action, jumping over the group and dashing back the way they came. As it goes, the Halfling picks up the chair she had been using much earlier and flings it towards the wall. It slams into the hard surface with a loud CRACK! as it bursts into pieces. The group watches as the auburn haired woman begins pacing, her fury palpable in the air.

Stein is the first to approach her, but he barely manages to take a breath before the Halfling lashes out, a fresh, strong wave of Madness flooding his senses. He stumbles back, trembling. The half-witch looks almost feral at this point, snarling and snapping like a rabid animal.

Kid makes a move to try to calm her, but before he gets close enough, there’s an echoing howl from behind them. Just like that, the rage and fury seem to melt away, though he suspects that such feelings are simply lying beneath the surface. The large wolf comes into view, Crona in tow. The Halfling pushes past the group, running to meet the young sword meister.

“W-what’s going on?” he manages softly.

“Crona,” Sara begins, grasping his shoulders gently, “I need you to tell me what happened with Marie.”

The boy visibly tenses, attempting to avoid eye contact. “W-w-What d-do you m-mean?”

“Look at me,” she demands sternly. He hesitates before doing as she asks. “What did she make you do to that woman.”

There is silence for a moment before Crona begins to tear up. Sara sighs uncomfortably and draws him into a gentle hug. Everyone else stood and watched as the half-witch that had been so violent not a few minutes ago turned into a calm and collected person focused on comforting Demon Sword meister.

“So it’s true then,” she say solemnly. Crona nods slowly. The Halfling turns to Marie, a cautious glint in her eye. “I do not sense it on you. How did you get rid of it.”

“As a Death Scythe,” Stein begins, blowing out a puff of smoke, “Marie has more abilities than a regular weapon. She has an anti-Madness wavelength in addition to a Healing wavelength.”

Sara hums thoughtfully, releasing Crona from her grasp. “Then it appears we may already have a solution to our problem.” She approaches the older blonde, extending a clawed hand. “I do not believe we’ve had the pleasure of formal introductions. I am Sara, daughter of the Wolf Lunaria.”

Marie hesitantly accepts the offered hand, giving it a simple shake. “I am Marie Mjolnir, Death Weapon. It is nice to meet you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sara literally tried tearing my head off in this one.
> 
> Kris is one of Sara’s familiars. She has approximately 234 familiars she’s capable of manifesting at once, though they are nowhere near as stable nor as powerful as a normal witch’s familiars, mostly because they are actually based on the souls of real creatures than purely magic. 
> 
> I apologize for Asura being OOC in this chapter. I’ll explain why he is this way later on.


End file.
